Alien Instinct

by Tracy Lauren

  “There is a key waiting for me,” I tell her.

  “Name?” She asks, sounding muffled through her mask. I have thought much on this as we came here from Gorrard’s bar. It would not be my name or Tennir’s, for obvious reasons. Even the name of my ship or Madreed’s name could send off red flags.

  “Kate,” I say.

  She retrieves a key, but hesitates before she hands it to me, “Two per room.” She nods toward Da’vi and Allison. “I don’t care what you do after I give you the keys, but you have to pay for two rooms.”

  “Gross,” Allison says and the innkeeper’s eyes light with a smile.

  “Two extra rooms. Something close,” I say as I hand her a cred reader. She winks at Allison, who scoffs in response.

  “Up the stairs,” she indicates a door beside us. “Floor 7, rooms G3, G5 and G9.”

  “Which was the room that had been waiting for me?”

  “G9.”

  “Who paid for the room,” I eye her.

  “Don’t know, didn’t get rented on my shift.”

  “Are there any other exits?”

  “Roof and through the kitchen. This door is only accessible if I hit the release. We’ve never had any break ins, don’t plan on it either,” she says and nods her head toward the wall beside her. She has two blasters and a disrupter.

  “Deliveries?”

  “Go through me,” she says.

  She pushes a button and a buzzer indicates we can open the door. We head up the stairs. The walls are covered with more advertisements for local shops, various products, brothels… There are no beings working in the brothels, even out here. Such establishments only utilize sex-bots. It is illegal in the United Planets to deal in sex trade with sentient beings. There is too great a risk for harm or coercion, though not all systems share that belief. I see Kate scan the posters, I hope she knows these are not ads for actual sex workers. She gapes at a particularly raunchy ad and I am embarrassed I have brought her here. It nags at my core.

  We reach the 7th floor and head down a narrow hallway. Scanning the numbered doors, we look for the room Tennir had waiting for us. When we find it we quietly move to the door and indicate our weapons to Kate and Allison.

  “Oh, should we?” Kate whispers and reaches for her charger.

  I shake my head no. “Emergencies only.”

  She nods, but she and Allison both keep their hands on their weapons, ready for an emergency. They have good instincts despite not being accustomed to using weapons. Da’vi and I position ourselves on opposite sides of the door. I run the key card and swing the door open. A couple of seconds pass and there seems to be nothing but silence inside the room. Da’vi and I nod to one another and I enter the room, my weapon drawn and ready, he follows behind me with Kate and Allison.

  The room is sparse. A bed with no windows. There is a prompter across from the bed which serves as a view screen as well. There is a small dresser and a door to the bathroom. I quickly check around the bed. It is clear. The bed does not appear to have been slept in. I catch Da’vi’s eyes and silently indicate I will now check the bathroom. I kick the door open and burst inside with my gun aimed. I find nothing I wouldn’t expect. Toilet, sink, small shower stall with a warning to not waste water. The sink and shower are dry. There are no signs anyone has been in this room recently.

  “Nothing,” I say as I exit the bathroom. Da’vi closes the door to the room and locks it. I begin to rifle through the dresser. I find nothing but extra towels.

  The females begin to sit, “No, we will not be staying here.”

  “But what if Tennir comes and we aren’t here?”

  “We will be down the hall, we do not know if someone else has a key to this room. We will listen to see if anyone tries to come here. If we see someone, hopefully we see them before they see us.”

  “You still think this could be a trap?”

  “I do not know yet either way,” I say with some remorse.

  We head back into the hall, checking it first before the females step out of the room. I hand a key card to Da’vi and keep one for myself and Kate. We all enter the next room. It is identical to the last. Out of habit, we search this one too. Kate and Allison sit on the bed. Kate sits upright while Allison reclines with a heavy sigh.

  “I will take first watch,” I tell Da’vi.

  “No, I will take first watch. Rennek, you should speak with Gorrard.”

  “Yes! Exactly!” Kate jumps to her feet, “Oh, I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one thinking it.”

  “There is not time for such a selfish endeavor, maybe when this is all settled we can return…”

  “Selfish? Rennek, it would not be just for you, but for Dax, Bossan and Kellen as well. You all deserve to know. And if you and your mate have fledglings? What of them? This is no selfish task, you should take this opportunity before it is ripped from you,” Da’vi demands.

  Kate begins to speak but chokes on her words instead.

  “I should be here, what if there is danger in my absence?” I ask.

  “I will have this one’s sour demeanor to scare all the danger away,” he waves his arm toward Allison. I cannot tell if he is joking or not, Da’vi has never been one to make jokes in the past.

  “Whatever,” she says. “Which room is ours?” she asks.

  “We will take the other one,” Da’vi tells her.

  “We, as in you and Rennek right?”

  “No simple human, we as in you and I,” Da’vi scowls.

  “Oh, no. Nope. Not happening, not sharing a room with this jerk,” she looks at my Kate who sheepishly looks to me and shrugs her shoulders.

  “Oh, fucking great. Fine, whatever.”

  “Well, I vote we go talk to Gorrard. This is an important opportunity. I don’t know all the details, but I feel like this has to be fate right? What a coincidence that we run into someone like you. We can’t let this chance slip through your fingers. Da’vi and Allison can hold down the fort.”

  “If I do, you should remain here my Kate,” I tell my thoughtful mate.

  “No way, I promised I would watch your back,” she smiles. “Plus, that would be completely boring. There isn’t even a television here.”

  “What is television?”

  “I don’t know how to explain it… it’s like an electric box that shows you movies and shows-stuff, for entertainment,” she tells me.

  “Sounds like a view screen, would you like to watch the view screen?”

  “What’s that?”

  I walk to the prompter and swipe it to bring up the view screen options. Usually at inns the viewing selection is poor and inundated with ads, sure enough an ad is the first thing that pops up. It is for prepackaged meals.

  “Oh my god, there’s TV!” The females are excited by this development. They stand and Kate jumps up and down while Allison presses herself close to the screen. They both seem to get a little teary eyed.

  “There’s TV, oh my god. I can’t believe they have TV.” Allison’s hands shake a little as she touches the screen.

  “Kate! Are you alright?!” I am shocked by their reactions.

  “Yeah, yeah… yes. It’s just so… so…”

  “It’s almost normal,” Allison says for her. “You even have commercials.”

  “Right? Just no Simpsons or Breaking Bad.” She laughs, “How dumb, I can’t believe how excited I am. I can’t wait to tell the others.”

  “How does it work?” Allison asks.

  “You can get up and manually swipe it or you can voice activate it. Viewer: channel up.” I say. The channels begin to slowly scan. “Slower, volume increase,” the viewer responds. But suddenly something catches my eye. “Wait, freeze. Volume increase.”

  “What, is it like your favorite show?” Allison asks.

  “Listen.” It is a news report speaking of the trafficking we rescued Kate and her people from.

  “Recent reports of the trafficking of sentient beings have been discovered to be a hoax…”<
br />
  “Oh my god, what?” Kate reacts angrily upon hearing this blatant falsehood.

  “No evidence has yet to surface in support of these outrageous claims. The UPC has issued an official statement noting this story was initially spurred by the accounts of a former UPC Commander, who, sources tell us, was a product of The Invasion. Motive for the claims are still unknown at this time.”

  “Former Commander Rennek, is sought for questioning regarding his part in the story that has swept the United Planets, causing the most widespread panic since The Invasion itself. The UPC is also seeking the crew of former Commander Rennek’s ship. Please contact local UPC offices if you have any information on the following persons…” The reporter rattles off the names of all my crew. “Communities can continue to rest easy knowing there is no threat to the safety and well-being of sentient beings within our borders,” she finishes and I turn the viewer off.

  Da’vi’s anger is visible, he is stiff and still but his scales flit with agitation. The females look to us, waiting for an explanation I do not have.

  “What is this deception?” Da’vi simmers.

  “Rennek, you worked for the UPC, right? Can you contact anyone and ask for information? Is there anyone you trust?” Kate asks me.

  Kate’s words spark my memory. “Tennir said to trust no one, perhaps this is what he was referring to. Whatever has happened, we are missing pieces to this puzzle. We need to find Tennir to know what to do next.”

  “If we do not find Tennir?” Da’vi asks.

  “We will take a new path if it comes to that.” I say.

  “We need to find a way to contact Madreed. If this is a cover up, she needs to know,” Da’vi says.

  “If this is a cover up, she likely already has more information than we do,” I tell him.

  “She could be in danger if that is so Rennek,” Da’vi says with concern in his voice.

  “No one is more capable than Madreed.” I tell him, surprised he even thinks of Madreed in all this. I did not know he knew much of my proper family. “But if Tennir does not show himself, contacting her will be our next course of action.”

  “Is this whole place going to recognize you now that your face has been all over the news? I mean it sounds like this story has been a pretty big deal,” Allison points out.

  “This is true to an extent. Here in dark space things operate a little differently. The locals will not care, they live on the fringe and don’t abide by the United Planet’s laws. Travelers may recognize us, but this only creates a marginal increase in our danger level--as far as we know the Ju’tup still have a bounty out on us.”

  “Marginal? Seems more like exponential to me! When we were floating around in space a bounty hunter would have been having to look pretty hard… but out there is a whole city that could view you guys as an opportunity,” Allison says angrily.

  “I did not know you cared, human,” Da’vi grunts at her.

  “Well don’t think I’m getting sentimental, lizard boy. I’m thinking about my own ass.”

  “Look, Rennek is right. We have been walking around here all afternoon and no one has tried to accost us. I think we just keep on as we were and adjust as necessary,” Kate says.

  “That is all we can do,” I agree.

  “Well, I think this gives us more reason to go back to the bar and speak with Gorrard,” Kate extrapolates.

  “I do not know if I agree with that,” Da’vi says. “It may be better to remain together considering the new circumstances.”

  “No, wait. Hear me out. We have no allies here. If something does go down Gorrard is a local and seems well connected. He also seemed to be genuine in his desire to help Rennek, maybe we should… I don’t know… grease that wheel a bit in case we need to use it,” Kate defends.

  “I do not know, Kate. We may need to leave here suddenly if something goes wrong. I would not want the group to split up,” I tell her.

  “You’re right. We should have a meeting place incase anything happens,” she says, nodding enthusiastically.

  “That is not what I said,” I tell her.

  “The pod?” she asks.

  “No, something not associated with us,” Da’vi says.

  “The kabob place,” Allison offers. “That’s the only landmark I can remember.”

  “Good, then if the pod is compromised we can find a new escape route from there.” Da’vi adds. All I can do is growl. They look to me. Kate’s eyes are full of hope. I resign myself, I can deny this female nothing. What they plan is fair enough, though I do not like being diverted from our original objective.

  “Fine. Let us have a respite for a few hours first. Eat. Shower, sleep if you are able to. Then Kate and I will return to Gorrard’s.”

  Kate beams a smile at me. Da’vi and Allison stand to leave. We check the hallway before they make their way to their room two doors down. Then finally, Kate and I are alone.

  Chapter 26

  Kate

  Allison and Da’vi leave and I turn to face Rennek. We are alone in an alien motel room. Just us and a bed. I’m probably blushing, I realize. I don’t know what to do with my hands. I wish I was more… experienced so I didn’t feel so awkward in this situation. Not that it is a situation… I mean, I’m not planning to do anything. Well, not planning to do much at least, but we do have this nice opportunity to be alone. What would one of those goddesses do if she were in my shoes right now, I wonder? I hope he doesn’t expect me to act all goddess-y. Oh my god, I’m getting more nervous and awkward every second. How many seconds has it been since Da’vi and Allison left? Like four? Feels like an eternity. I wonder what he’s thinking right now? I wonder what he expects? Is he super experienced? Has he been with a bunch of sexy lady aliens? Look at him, of course he has.

  My mind is starting to spin out of control, but then I look at Rennek--I mean, really look at him. I kind of see past the whole half naked, seven-foot-tall, gargoyle with horns and a tail and wings now. I’m getting used to it I guess. I see the man and not the parts of him that are different from me. I see his face. He looks tired, strained. I feel my nerves melt away.

  “How are you?” I ask.

  He sighs and rubs his hands over his face. “Honestly? Troubled. Confused and many more things I cannot fully put into words.”

  “I can’t imagine,” I tell him.

  “I think you can,” he steps close and pulls me into a hug. We stay like that for a long time, just holding each other. I feel silly for ever feeling nervous, I have never felt more natural and at home with any other man in my life.

  “What now?” I ask when we finally pull apart.

  “You, my princess… need to bathe. And luckily, I know just the male to help you with that.” His cocky grin begins to wash away the weary look that was there a moment ago. His black eyes are playful and shining.

  “Princess? You called me a queen before, have I been downgraded?”

  He pulls me close and inspects my face, “My apologies, I see now. You are much too old to be a princess. See these lines here… and here… the tired and drooping brows?” He tisks. “Yes, you are definitely a queen.”

  “Rennek! You jerk!” I laugh, slapping at his hands.

  He lifts me easily into his arms and presses his forehead to mine. The teasing air vanishes quickly. “Kate,” he sighs, “You are all that is dear. You are my queen, my princess, you are sweetness, you are perfection, you are a goddess incarnate, you are my mate.”

  While I really want to ask about this whole mate thing, particularly the part Da’vi mentioned earlier about ‘fledglings,’ I don’t want to spoil the mood. So, I just take the compliment. “How about that shower?” I smile.

  “Let me help you undress.” He sets me down and unwraps the shawl from around my head and hair then pulls my belt off and tosses it on the bed. I pull my hair over one shoulder and turn around so he can untie the knot at the back of my neck holding my “dress” up. He makes quick work of the knot and lets the fabric drop f
rom my body. I’m naked now except for my underwear. I quickly decide to pull them off myself. Not to cut him off at the pass or anything, but they’re lacy and literally my only pair. Rennek has some serious claws and I have got to treat these babies like the last pair of underwear in the galaxy, because for me, they might be.

  I bend to pull my undies down and I can feel the heat of his gaze on me. I stand and he comes up behind me. His already hard cock presses against my bare bottom. My heart pounds a little faster. His hands run up my arms and I dip my head to the side, inviting him. Gripping my arms, he pulls me tighter against his body, lightly skimming his teeth in the crook of my neck before he gives me a slightly firmer bite. I gasp and he soothes the space with soft kisses.