by G. K. Scott
Emma looked at the skull in her hands her thoughts drifting away as she pulled it up, slamming it back on to her trophy wall. She was burning her brain again over that stupid asshole of a doctor. She did that from time to time when the ship was silent and the blur of space flew past as they moved through hyperspace. Another moment in space, she didn’t even know what day it was. Days just turned a blur as did months. She didn’t really care what day it was anyway. She slowly sat down on the floor looking at the red curves of the trophy room. With its three walls two of which where filled one with her trophies and the other with Jeuki’s.
Sometimes it was nice just to watch the red patterns glow in the dimmed room, which wasn’t smog filled. This smog was veneration, which helped Jeuki race breath better. It happened on occasion in every part of the ship. Sometimes you couldn’t your feet while other times the room was clear. Her gaze wandered for a moment. She turned suddenly hearing a sudden thump behind causing her to turn sharply. Jeuki was standing behind her. He tapped his upper left mandible before kneeling down slowly be side her “Admiring your trophies?” Emma looked in to his amber eyes. “No just thinking…I couldn’t sleep.” Jeuki put a hand on her arm “Bad dream again?”
Emma looked up slowly “Yeah bad dream.” Jeuki sat down slowly keeping his clawed hand on her arm “Was it that dream about the queen hard meat?” He moved closer. “The one you have about being stuck and not being able to get away.” Emma slowly moved her gaze “Yes that same cowardly dream where I can’t get away because the tunnel is pushing me upward in to her jaws, I’m always naked and helpless.” She put a hand through her hair in frustration “I hate that dream!” Jeuki moved his other hand watching as a tear started to trickle down Emma’s cheek. He eased up his claw wiping it away “It’s just a dream, it’s not going to happen to you. Just another bad dream you know I wouldn’t let anything like that happen to you.” He looked down slightly. “I would never let that happen to you, you’re my kin my clan.” He felt like hitting himself mental for that remark he knew full well clan wasn’t the right word. It wasn’t the word he wanted to use ether. He wanted to add the word mate on the end so badly. It was burning in to his brain like a hot dagger.
He found himself lowering his gaze sadly that would never come to be. She would want an ooman male and he had an ugly face, that wasn’t like hers. His mother had told him as a young pup that he had the face that could charm any Yautja female, because he was so handsome. The crazy thing was that now he didn’t want any Yautja female. He wanted nothing more than to openly admit his feelings, to this ooman female. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and cradle her and enjoy her gentle caress. He liked those green eyes, which he could just about make out with his sight. He loved how they stared at him he wanted to just sink in to them. Yet with this scared handsome face he’d never win her over. He had seen his father a couple of times who was a brash and rather blunt male. Who’d had many offspring with his mother. It wasn’t bad for a male who was well over his prime. In total he had three brothers and two sisters. All bred from his mother who was watched over by a dominant female. His father had told him he could sometimes be a soft fool.
The comment had been more joking but it was true. His other brothers were far more violent and antisocial. His father had said he was more like his mother. Not that that was a bad thing. The truth was his two older brothers were died now. All killed in the early hunts their stubborn brutishness, being there ultimate downfall. They’d believed they were stronger than the prey and glory of brute strength would win them their trophies. His youngest brother had been more tactful and like his father it had paid of. He was floating around somewhere in space to, living out his own adventures. No doubt gaining trophies that could match his father honour and glory. He would probably never see any of them ever again. His father he would only see when he his time came. As his father had died a good death on one of his final hunts. His mother was back on the home world but she was getting on, and he was worried for her health. His younger brother Oji Ji the last time he’d seen him was when he’d docked with one of the Jag ‘D’ Ja Atoll mother ship’s floating in space.
It was so sad he felt so lost in some ways and it was only made more difficult by seeing something he couldn’t touch. He was so thrown by his own emotions for this ooman female that he was starting to feel desperate. Only to feel worse knowing she wouldn’t want him anyway and would reject him because he wasn’t her species. All he could do was act like her protector and her close friend. He moved a claw through the soft hair absentmindedly. He left her move up against him clinging for comfort. He tapped his upper right mandible feeling the utter frustration of his situation. He looked up slightly while gently rubbing Emma’s back “You should try and get some sleep you’ll feel better.” Emma looked up slightly Jeuki had gone awfully quite. That was so unlike him and she could hear his mandible clicking the upper right one which meant there was something wrong she looked up slightly “Are you okay?” Jeuki looked down slightly “I’m fine.” Emma sat up slightly “Come on Jeuki I know you. You’re frustrated about something. You always click your upper right mandible when you’re frustrated.”
Jeuki narrowed his gaze “I’m fine…” Emma folded her arms “Come on spill it Jeuki. We always talk about our problems and it solves them.” Jeuki shook his head “No you can’t solve this one.” He pulled up his clawed hand “It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s just me thinking of something I could never have despite wanting it.” He slowly stood up “Look I’m going to lie down…please join me when your feeling better.” He turned slightly “May I borrow your note pad? I want to finish reading that human ritual called coffee drinking.” Emma found herself blinking “Yeah sure.” She turned slightly as he left the room. Her heart sank all at once she wanted to know what was wrong with him he wasn’t normally like this. He seemed so sad like he’d lost something precious to him. Maybe he was rethinking his life and what he’d become, which was more human like her. Probably more than he wanted. Maybe he was missing his own kind. She found herself standing up, ether way it didn’t matter what it was. She needed to lie with him. Maybe it would cheer him up maybe take away his inner pain.
It was the least she could do he always tried to take away her troubles. He always looked out for her when she’d been in trouble. He was more than a close friend he was like. She stopped short he was like a partner, funny as it sounded. She felt her fingers twitch but he would never be her partner or her mate. Some days she wanted to believe he would be. That he would turn and say that he wanted her as a mate. She’d had these feeling boiling up for so long now. She’d tried to ignore them because it was insane to think. To believe that she’d had fallen for someone that wasn’t her own species. And her own kind would consider him hideous. If she were standing in front of another human being saying this aloud they called her insane and would frown in disgust at her. She knew full well her response would be to tell them to go to hell. Then pull out her wrist blades and scare the hell out of them with them. She knew it was the actions of an angry, frustrated human being but she couldn’t stop what she felt.
She’d tried so hard to block it out but she knew full well she was in denial. She had finally come to see the beauty both in the hunter’s appearance and behind it. Although her way of denying it was to say that they were different. That was bull and she knew it. Jeuki was right on this one they where the same so much so it almost to shocking to take in. She lowered her head before slowly turning away from the trophy wall. She had to lie down she had to get these thoughts out of her head. Before they broke her and made her feel unhappy again. She slowly moved out of the room watching the smog rise and the cleaning system kick. Its smog-causing waves of smoke to move past the shining skulls.
Four and a half months since leaving second galaxy…battle ship Sirun docked fully with the iron year in the second systems outer sector.
Carlos slowly looked at the ships window. This huge window that looked out in to the gloom of space an
amazing amount of scientists, marines and civilians gathered here in groups to drink coffee and watch the stars. It had become almost like a silly recreation exercise. See which moron can spot the comet moving through space. It had become so popular that some civilian had set up a huge drinking bar. Complete with copies of old earth chairs and tables, so everyone could enjoy the experience in the level fifty-wind shield. It might as well be a wind shield, because it had no other purpose but to get everyone staring through the space proof glass. Plus you got to gaze at part of the battle cruiser Sirun’s rusted front as they moved through space together. What a wonderful view that was. So much black space and then a butt ugly view of Oran’s toy vessel. His pride and joy that he floated around in, looked after by civilians and marines and everyone else who wanted a credit. He just hoped that he would get his due pay when this was all over. Okay he kissed the man’s arse and never asked questions. He wanted his little piece of the grand pie when it came in to being. He was getting tied of waiting for it, he wanted those ten million credits to fund his other research on Mars and the gravity engine project he so desperately wanted to do.
“Hey I see something!”
Carlos looked up sharply oh wonderful another comet. Just what he needed another comet to brighten his boring day. He stopped short seeing that the spec of light was not moving past them but towards them. His gaze turned quickly as the marines started to get nervous, as it got closer. He stood up fast was that really a comet? He turned hearing his note pad beep he grabbed it quickly. “Yes Carlos speaking?” He pulled back as Oran’s voice hit back “That thing is heading right at as! What is it? My marines aboard tell me it’s not a comet or a meteor!” Carlos watched as the light spec come closer. “Now sir I’m sure this nothing to worry about. I mean it’s not going to hit as probably just skim past us.”
“Don’t give that half ass bull! I’ve got three people who’ve scanned it; it’s not space dust! It’s going to hit your ship, so unlock your clamps holding our ships together. I don’t want my prize ruined because of your incompetence!” Carlos turned eyeing the male marine behind him. “Well you heard the man! Unlock the clamps now!” The female marine moved slightly “It’ll take three minutes, it’ll hit as by then!” Calcos snarled aloud “I don’t want questions or foolish thoughts unlock this ship! It’s Oran’s orders and you have to take those orders!” He watched as the marines moved in to action. He turned as the scientists backed away slightly. This was not good if it hit it would blow up the whole of the upper deck, maybe worse.
Emma moved under the blanket she could hear that sound when the ship was going to hit something. She groaned feeling Jeuki do the same as he woke up. That infuriating sound nether of them liked it was like a rasping sound that hurt the ears. They had this thing going off from time to time. It was annoying. It was just something they where still having problems fixing. It sometimes went off for no reason and it was such a pain in the ass. She got up sneering, “Stupid damn thing! I bet it’s picking up space dust again!” She watched Jeuki shake his head “I swear I thought I’d fixed that thing. As soon as we go on the next hunt I’ll fix it for good.” Emma looked at him as he followed her in to the hold “Don’t worry Jeuki it’s not your fault. I think it’s just never going to work.”
She stopped watching the controls light up she tapped them yawning lazily, “Oh lets play that game shall we, what have you picked up on your sensors? Oh let me guess.” She tapped the buttons getting ready for the holographic images to show “Space dust or maybe a spaced hard meat queen no wait I’ve got it.” She slammed the final button “You’re picking up blank space again.” She watched in utter surprise as two vessels appeared in hologram form causing them both to go quite. It took her a moment to recognize the vessels. She watched Jeuki’s clawed hand rise as his amber eyes widened “Ooman vessels!” Emma blinked before her brain kicked in “Jeuki I think you fixed the sensors.”
She watched as he jumped to his control panel “Oh hell we are going to hit one of them!” She jumped to her side banging the console they had to turn now! Oh this was great, first ship they found and they where going to ram it! She tapped harder on the buttons watching Jeuki do the same he looked nervous and bewildered. She tapped the screen buttons “come on! Come on turn! Jeuki and me fixed you. Just be nice and turn please!” Jeuki moved his claws oh this was not good this was so not good. Why him? Why today of all days, to have to pull out of colliding with some rust bucket monster while going at half hyper speed. He tapped the buttons. If he could just stop the hyper drive Emma’s turn would work.
Carlos watched the flaming white as it came closer they weren’t moving! Those stupid ass marines he watched it came closer only to see its light slowly fading. Was it slowing? The next moment felt like hell on earth as what looked like a ship appeared in space. The vessel was still heading right at them but it seemed to turn suddenly. He could only hear screaming as it swung in space its engines coming up the glass plate as it stopped causing half of the onlookers to be thrown as it’s back end hit the ship’s level above causing pieces to fly. He watched as it’s burning searing engines died down as it slowly moved away from them. Slowly moving out in to space coming to a slow stop he could tell just what it was but he couldn’t believe it had come here. This could be the worst thing in the world or the best ether way it still shocking. This smaller Predator vessel wasn’t graved and was still intact despite graving them. Saying that it was more of a knock no serious damage, but everyone was terrified by it.
“What the hell just happened?”
Carlos looked at his pad Oran’s voice was full of bite he pulled up the pad. “Sir you’ve got to look out your window.” He heard his pad beep off. The next moments caught him by surprise. As everyone piled up to the glass staring at the floating vessel he heard Oran’s voice again “Send a message of greetings!” Carlos looked at his pad “Eh Sir…isn’t that a bad idea.” Oran’s voice bit back again. “I said send humble greeting to the ship on all frequencies.” Carlos sneered slightly. “Sir they might be here to get their friends back. The ones we’ve got below do you think that’s wise?” Oran’s voice rose up again “Well they haven’t got weapons armed! Now do as I say!” Carlos looked at his pad this was crazy! He breathed slightly “As you wish sir.” No doubt the crazy asshole had something up his mad ass sleeve. He just hoped that something would save them if these hunters went a wall. He sighed turned to one of the marines “Send out a greeting message on all frequencies.” Emma opened one eye painfully. She was lying on the holds floor. All she remembered was feeling the force, as they’d come out of hyperspace. Then hitting the wall with the ships horrible turn which had made her feel sick to the stomach all her thoughts stopped she suddenly did feel sick. It hit her like a horrible wave.
She pulled herself of the floor as she felt her stomach tense horribly. She turned slightly only to see Jeuki amber eyes gazing at her. He’d been kneeling over her all that time? Her thoughts left her as she held her lower half painfully. Jeuki pulled back he knew that painfully ooman gagging sound and what it meant. He looked around grabbing one of the fallen bowls, which had rolled in to the hold along with a few other items. He pulled it up to Emma quickly, just in enough time before watched her loose her lunch. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to that strange human ordeal. Which was referred to the electronic note pad as vomiting he rubbed her back she’d taken a really hard blow to the head. The ship had thrown him as it had turned but he’d hit the floor and had the wind knocked out of him. While she’d slammed in the nearest wall, the blow knocking her out completely he’d checked for broken bones before moving her in to a recovery position.
He’d only seen this position in images in the electronic note pad. It was an oomans medical practice to put a hurt ooman in to this position. If badly hurt or knocked out. His race had a similar one but this was slightly different. He leaned forward as Emma pushed the bowl away. “Are you all right?” He put a clawed hand around her arm. Gentle stroking the soft
skin with his thumb claw Emma groaned, “Fine…just needed to loose my lunch but I feel better for it.” Jeuki pushed the bowl away “You had me worried I thought you weren’t going to wake up.” He eased up his other hand putting it under her chin. “Just glad you didn’t break any bones.” Emma looked at the wall behind her “I’m used to it, I make a habit of getting hit by things.” Jeuki pulled her up to her feet gently making sure she didn’t fall over despite being unsteady “The oomans they keep sending something, some message. I don’t know how to decode ooman transmissions.” Emma walked up the console rubbing the back of her head. She turned slightly “I need my note pad.”
Jeuki turned opening one of the storages draws, where he always kept her note pad so it was safe. He turned passing it to her before moving slowly so he was looking over her. He watched as she opened it starting to type quickly. He clicked his upper left mandible this made no sense to him. Really it was better for him to watch and learn. Emma tapped the pad she’d heard this thing could pick up waves ship to ship. On Callisto before it’s destruction you could talk to someone at the other end of the compound. She waited hoping the signal would bounce and work through the hunters ship. She waited patiently until a faint voice crackled through she felt Jeuki lean over her to listen to the male voice.
“Welcome my humbled guests to this galaxy.”
“May I introduce myself, I’m Oran Afros one of the leading business men of consumer technology on earth.”
“I’m surprised you showed up in space. I do hope your great ship suffered no damages during our first meeting.”
“I’d say welcome to earth but we aren’t on earth. I will still give my greetings though and welcome you as guests aboard my most beautiful science vessel. The Iron Year. Then I will join you and greet you personally, I’m currently stationed on the other vessel the Sirun.”
