Araman's Aria

by Suzanne Embree

  “Moon Aerie.” The computer spoke as the screen showed the co-ordinates.

  “Lock in. Manual orbit controls. Manual speed control please.” Araman limped the ship in the direction towards the moon.

  “Where’s that ship?” Araman asked Brea. She glanced over to him and then back to the console.

  “It’s gone.” She said quietly.

  “Frigg! Shields up! Brace for incoming.”

  The ship took a hit from behind sending it rolling. Brea was thrown forward and her head smacked the keypad on the console. A whirring sound came from underneath as the front opened up and the manual weapons controls locked into place.

  “Can you?” Araman looked at her while examining her forehead.

  “What?” She asked getting up in her seat pushing Araman back into his.

  “Use the ship’s phaser?”

  Brea looked at the console. “I watch the screen and when the targets become one I fire upon them.” She cast a glance to the armrests. “This is the trigger.”

  “I’ll get us in range.” Araman grabbed the controls and brought the ship out of the roll turning to pursue the Huntress ship coming up fast and furiously in his screen.

  “Shields at twenty percent. Beginning internal repairs.” The computer informed him. “Life support is at minimal range. Request permission to reroute…”

  “Granted. She’s coming in for another hit!” Araman roared as the target came into his viewer screen. “Are you ready Brea?”

  “Do not understand command, please rephrase command.” The soft voice requested.

  “Targeting now.” Brea watched as the lines on the screen became one. “Firing.” Her finger hit the smooth flat button at the end of the armrest.

  “Got it!” Araman watched as the screen lit up with the fireworks from the phaser fire.

  “Please rephrase command.” The computer demanded.

  “Permission granted for all repairs. Now would you Frigg off.” Araman said in a gruff voice. “One hundred thousand and closing.”

  “Careful,” Brea warned, “You’re beginning to sound like Santari.”

  Araman shook his head then flashed a smile at her. “Santari would have had that voice in bed already.” She let out a little laugh. “What’s the status of the other ships?”

  Brea looked down at her console wondering what button to push to recover the previous screen. Araman reached over and pressed a keypad on the upper right corner. The screen appeared above the weaponry console.

  “Holding formation but moving towards our location.”

  He nodded with his eyes glued to the screen. The moon Aerie was coming into orbital range. Araman’s strong hands gripped the manual controls as the ship shuddered and shook at the effort of its speed.

  “Will it hold?” Brea asked quietly as she looked around at the vibrating metal.

  “She’ll take a lot more before crumbling. Oleander makes a good ship.” Araman reassured her. “At this course and speed we should be in lunar orbit within seven solar minutes.”

  “Can we call for help?” Brea asked anxiously. The idea of ending up in the hands of the Oleanders again did not sit well with her.

  “Not without revealing our location.” Araman glanced over to her. He immediately tapped in to her worries. He cupped her chin with his hand and caught her jade eyes in his.

  “I won’t let it happen again.”

  A sad smile crossed her lips. “You could not prevent it, nor if they choose to do so again, you still could not prevent it. That machine.…”

  “Emits an energy that I can connect to.” Araman said quietly. “I can prevent it.” He turned his attentions back to the viewer. “We’re coming into lunar orbit. We’ll be able to shut down systems and make some repairs.”

  Brea turned her eyes back to the console. The formation of the sister ships of the huntress was one less.

  “Another one is on the hunt.” Brea shifted her position into the weapons controls.

  “That close?” Araman raised an eyebrow.

  “I do not like to be caught off guard.” Brea spoke. She glanced up; both viewers showed the ship coming towards their direction. The ship stopped. Brea looked over to Araman who was watching.

  “They’re scanning for the ship’s trail.” He explained. They both watched as the dot on the screen moved forward towards the iron cored moon. “Ever play a game called Hide and Seek? Terrian children play the game.” Brea shook her head. “We hide, they seek.”

  “And if they find us?” Brea did not like the sounds of this plan.

  “We play possum.”

  “Possum?” Brea knitted her brows. What could the Terrian rodent possibly have to do with tactical maneuvers?

  “Another Terrian trick. Possums play dead at the sign of danger.” Araman explained.

  “Play dead?” Brea leaned back still not liking the direction he was headed.

  Araman nodded. “We shut down all systems. Let the ship come within range for the weapons.”

  She looked to the screens then quickly resettled into the weapons console. “It looks like the best plan now. The ship should come into range within two minutes.” Her heart was thumping against her chest.

  “Computer shut down all system except for life and manual weapons.” Araman commanded.

  “All systems shut down.” The ship seemed eerily quiet.

  “Life support levels at half.” Araman instructed ignoring Brea’s questioning look. “Full power to manual weapons.”

  “Complied. Shields are at nineteen percent.”

  “Shut down shields.”

  “Complied.”

  “No shields? Barely any air to breathe? You do like a challenge?” Brea shot out at him.

  “Possum.” Araman said coldly. “Dead ships do not have shields or life support. This ship can sustain us for eight lunar hours without life support. Enough time for a rescue. Now worry about that ship.”

  Brea shot a dagger at him with a glare before turning to the task. The ship was appearing in her scope lines. She waited holding her breath as the ship inched closer to her range on the screen. It held its position. She watched the dot, it still never moved.

  “Why isn’t it moving?” Brea whispered.

  “Could be scanning us.” Araman kept his eyes on the screen. “What’s your range?”

  “I’m off. I will only damage.” Brea shook her head. Her eyes widened when the dot on the display flickered. “Wait.” She glanced up. “They moved closer, I can make a clean hit.”

  “Fire at will.” Araman told her.

  Again her finger pressed the cold flat trigger. The main viewer filled with ball of fire as the Oleander ship exploded. Brea released her breath slowly. Her gaze rose to the upper screen.

  “Frigg.” She uttered. Araman whipped around to see what was wrong. “We now have the other three coming our way. They know the location.” Brea told him.

  “Computer, initiate start up sequence.” Araman instructed.

  “Unable to comply. Systems are too damaged.”

  “Araman.” Brea stared at the screen. As she did a cold wave of fear washed down her body. Three fighter jets were barreling down on their location in the moon’s orbit.

  “Computer, reroute all power to the shields.” Brea was already firing upon the first ship as the other two came from each side. A shot knocked her back and her foot hit a lever on the stem of the console. “It moves. I can move it.” She scrambled up and took hold.

  She swiveled the seat moving the target setting towards the ship coming in for another fly by. The lines on the screen slowly came together as the ship fired upon them. Araman yelled at Brea just as her fingers punched releasing the phasers. The oncoming flyer burst into an array of sparkles that slowly turned into nothing.

  The fifth ship came at them from behind as the computer announced their shields had dropped to nine percent. Araman slammed the manual controls into hyperdrive and swore when nothing happened.

  “She’s coming
around.” Araman spoke looking at the screen.

  “I’ve got her targeted.” Brea’s voice was even as she concentrated. The lines on the screen seemed to take forever before they lined up and she could take her shot. Her fingers began to shake as the other ship came closer. Finally she was given the signal to fire. She pressed hard on the pad afraid it would ignore a light touch.

  At first Brea had thought she had missed as she watched for confirmation the ship had been taken out. The flash of light coming from the side of the ship’s viewer told her she had completed her mission.

  She looked over to Araman with a frown. “I don’t find this as exhilarating as I do hand to hand combat. This seems so much more impersonal.”

  Araman grinned at her. “Some prefer it.” His fingers pressed the communications switch. “They know we are out here. It’s our only chance.” He set the frequency. “Mayday! Mayday! This is Diago. Olean read back.” He paused, waiting for a response before repeating his words. Finally after the fourth try a response came through.

  “Commandant Diago, an S and R is on its way. Is medical assistance required?”

  “Negative. Estimated time of arrival.” Araman looked over to Brea.

  “Three lunar hours.”

  “Any word on Commander Santari?”

  “The delegates were delivered and the Novenians are leaving the solar system. Oleander has denied any involvement. Oleander has been told to stand down on coming after you. Anything else Sir.”

  “Negative. We’ll see you in three hours.”

  “S and R?” Brea questioned when he faced her.

  “Search and Rescue. Not much of a search for them.” Araman glanced up at her discolored forehead. “How’s the bump?”

  “Hurts.” Brea informed him.

  “How badly?” Araman moved closer.

  She smiled as he inspected her injury. “I am fine.” She caught his fingers in hers. “I just have an aching head. I have suffered worse in battle.”

  “I recall the scars.” Araman thinking of her in the shower with him.

  “Do you think any more will come after us?” Brea asked quietly.

  “Oleander has been told to stand down. With the Novenians and their penchants for war, Oleander will not take a chance. Have no worries we just have to sit here until the fleet arrives.”

  Brea rubbed her temples. “I think after this I would enjoy some time away from traveling.”

  Araman chuckled as he took Brea into his strong arms. She settled into his lap and rested her sore head against his chest listening to his heartbeat. She let out a little sleepy yawn.

  “Oh no you don’t.” He straightened her up. “You can’t go to sleep.” Araman told her. “You’ve knocked your head and you might be suffering from a concussion.”

  “You do not need to fuss.” Brea squirmed in his lap. “Shinwa are much stronger than you think.”

  “I have felt your strength.” Araman held her closer in a hug. He kissed the top of her forehead and then the top of her studded nose. “Blows to the head, no matter the race, are a serious matter.”

  Brea gave a slight nod. Her hand snaked up to his face and teased his lips with her fore finger. “I agree.” She said seriously. She looked down and saw the silver pad peeking out of Araman’s pocket. “What’s that?”

  Araman looked down and then brought the smooth flat piece of metal. “I don’t know. Paige threw it to me before she was caught in the explosion.” He turned it over and inspected it. There was nothing on the instrument to indicate its purpose.

  “Does this do something?” A slender finger pointed to the top right corner. A small raised triangle sat in the corner. She pressed it.

  A screen lit up and displayed a series of lines and codes. His eyes narrowed watching the screen continue to flash geometrical shapes with various lines with different numbers. The end of the snapshots was an image of the extractor.

  He looked over slowly to Brea. “She tossed me the friggin’ plans to their extracting machine”

  Her pale green eyes widened. “She was going to bring them with her to Olean. I wonder if Santari knew what she carried with her?”

  “I doubt anybody knew she had it with her.”

  Brea shook her head with a very sad look on her face. “I worry about Santari.” She told him. “I think he may have had feelings towards her.”

  “Santari will be fine. He has feelings for every woman.” Araman murmured dismissing her concerns. He nuzzled into her neck.

  Brea pushed his arms away and stood up. She crossed her arms and leveled her eyes to his. “Paige meant more to Santari than just as a woman.” She dropped her gaze. “I saw the look that crossed his face Araman when she was killed.”

  “He may have Lyra, but Santari knows that any fraternizing with Oleander other than missions or an assigned concubine is against regulations.”

  “Did regulations stop you?” Brea asked him. “You challenged Olean’s regulations and forced them to accept me as your equal.”

  “And you are not Oleander. You are Shinwa.” He pointed out to her. By her glare it was not a good enough reason. “Santari has seen the worst of what a woman can offer. I doubt very much his feelings had developed any further than what his loins felt.”

  Brea shook her head at him. “Your opinion of your Commander is not very high.” She observed.

  “Santari is well aware of my opinion of him. Brea, I don’t want to waste our time discussing the Commander or his emotions.” He stood up and stepped towards her. He caught her rigid body in his strong arms and pulled her against him holding her there. “All I want to do right now is kiss you.”

  Brea smiled up at his admission. “Is that all?” She asked looking coyly up at him.

  “In this ship, it’s all we can manage.” He brought out a little laugh from her delectable lips. “Anything else will have to wait.”

  The console behind crackled to life. “Commandant Diago, do you read? Commandant Diago, come back?”

  “I think the kiss may have to wait, too.” Brea grinned at him.

  “Just once when I get you in my arms I would like to be left alone.” He grimaced dropping his hands to his side before turning to the console.

  He punched the button, “Commandant Diago reading you, what’s your position?”

  “Lead Flag here Sir and we are right behind you. We were closer than the S and R so we volunteered to pick you up along the way home.” A cheery voice answered. “We will have you in our bay within minutes. Prepare for capture.”

  Brea’s eyes widened as she moved towards her seat beside Araman. “Capture?” She squeaked.

  “They mean rescue Lyra.” He reassured her helping her with her safety strap.

  Araman took Brea’s hand and gave it a squeeze before hitting the communications. “Diago here. Prepared for capture.”

  After several long silent minutes a crashing noise of metal against metal was heard as the grappling arm took its hold on the paralyzed fighter. The ship was slowly towed upwards and pulled inside the flagship of the fleet. The passengers inside were slightly rocked at the arm holding the ship hovered above the floor waiting for the doors to lock in place. It took only seconds for the grappling arm to disengage from the smaller vessel once it was safely docked.

  Araman waited for a soft buzzer to indicate it was safe to disembark. The low tone was emitted when life support in the bay reached the proper level. He took Brea’s hand and led her off the Oleander flyer.

  “Welcome back Commandant.” An underling greeted him with a nod saluting the superior officer. “You and your concubine are to follow me.…”

  “My what?” Araman’s blue eyes iced over.

  “Your concubine Sir.” The underling swallowed as if his uniform became suddenly tight.

  “My wife!” exploded from Araman. “This woman is my wife!” He held his face within inches of the private.

  “I’m…sorry…Sir.” He tried to stammer out. “I…I.…”

  Brea put
a hand on Araman and pulled him back. His eyes softened when he turned to her as her pale jade eyes twinkled with amusement. “It’s alright Araman.” She smiled at him. “He probably does not know.”

  “I…did not see a ring.” The underling hesitantly spoke up. “I do apologize.” He gave Brea a nod saluting her status.

  Araman faced the young man, “Ensure that no one else makes the same mistake.”

  “Yes Sir. This way Sir.” The young private turned on his heel not hiding his look of relief on his face.

  “Attention all personal,” came over the internal communications, “Commandant Diago and his wife are now on board. Please join me in congratulating them on their recent nuptials.”

  “It’s a little late for that.” The underling muttered under his breath.

  Araman chuckled understanding that the announcement was only received after they had docked. The younger man turned and grinned stopping at a lift. Brea slipped her hand into Araman’s as they stepped onto the elevator.

  “Quarters are little cramped sir.” The private offered after he punched in the destination code into a small keypad on the steel wall.

  “So long as there is a shower and a strong cup of coffee, we will survive.” Araman smiled down at Brea. He glanced up at her goose egg thinking she should see a medic.

  Brea caught his thoughts and shook her head. “I just want to go home.” She hesitated, “Our home.”

  Araman pulled her into his arms. “Soon Lyra, soon.” He promised.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Brea stepped out of the shower feeling only slightly more refreshed. She towel dried her hair as she watched Araman sleep. His feet hung over the end of the small bed. A sheet lay across his waist as his hand lay on his chest. Brea couldn’t stop the burst of a half-laugh from her throat when he took a deep breath and snored.

  Her eyes settled on his mouth held almost in a smile as he slept. Her heart skipped a beat thinking of those lips on the most intimate parts of her body. She felt a heat flare up in her chakkras and settle within her mound. A slow smile crossed her lips as she tossed the towel aside. Brea undid her tie to her robe and dropped it on the floor where she stood. Her eyes never left Araman’s sleeping body. The need to please him and quench the fire burning within filled her senses.