by Elin Wyn
“Iq'her!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, the bliss I was feeling turning into sound.
He simply kept on thrusting as I came, the fury of his movements making me moan even louder, but it didn’t take long before he was breathing as hard as I was, his burning gaze letting me know he was about to explode.
“Stasia…” He groaned, thrusting one final time before he finally surrendered. He held still for a moment, his body pressed against mine, and I felt his hardness throb violently inside me, his warm seed filling me up.
Neither of us moved or said a thing.
We just remained perfectly still, Iq'her holding me up against the wall as I held tight to his body. We were reeling from something we had never experienced before, a kind of connection that revealed what I had known all along: I would never let go of Iq'her.
No matter what happened, we had to stay together.
“Stay with me…” I whispered, voicing my thoughts.
Pushing a lock of hair away from my face, Iq'her smiled.
“Always, Stasia...always.”
Iq’her
There was a palpable change in the city since our return. There were dozens of people around when we landed, and they had seen us take Roddik and his people out of the transports.
Not to mention that many of the villagers had been released. While we had helped get them back home and sent crews out to help them rebuild and repair, they had insisted on human crews.
We were losing ground in our relations with the humans.
Sylor was still friends with the restaurant owners where he ate, but some of the wait-staff refused to serve him, even though they knew him.
They had never minded before.
I used to frequent a small store filled with various parts and pieces of technology, often times helping the staff inside fix, repair, or build something new. Now, I was told to only be there in the evenings, and only a few nights a week.
While there had always been several humans that seemed wary to be around us, now they were open in their dislike of us.
Too much was happening far too fast.
One of the crews that we had commissioned to begin construction of the wall around the quake station we had chosen to be the prison had quit and each member, along with their families, moved to the coastal city of Kaster.
If they spread their story there, Kaster would soon start to turn against us. It was the only city untouched by our battle with the Xathi, but they knew about it. Many refugees had moved there.
I tried to go out of my way to be nice to the humans, all of us did. Well, almost all of us. Karzin was still his surly self, but the surly self that he was since Annie’s arrival. Even our human friends spoke up on our behalf.
But the feelings of Roddik and his people spread, like a wildfire during a drought.
Early this morning, there had been a fight between nearly a dozen people, separated by their opinions of us.
The humans that were supportive of us were attacked, several of them injured. When one of the ground crews working the overnight patrol broke it up, they were forced to used violence and three of the antagonists were injured and ended up at the hospital.
A report came in an hour ago that those three had to be moved to an empty section of the hospital to stop them from yelling at everyone they saw and heard.
I sat in my office, my head in my hands as I tried to figure out what was happening. I knew that we would never get all of the humans to like us, but we had gone months without open hatred directed at us. It had given me hope that things were going to be at least civil.
Who could have predicted that a person such as Roddik would the catalyst for a human revolt against their own people and us? Yes, we were doing many things across the continent, but we were doing it with the permission of humans in an attempt to make their lives better.
We were trying to help, trying to fix what had been damaged and, in many cases, upgrade or improve on those things. It wasn’t our fault that we had better technology and a better understanding of how many things worked.
So what if we were taking command of many of the recovery efforts? We knew how the damage was done and knew how to undo that damage. Why shouldn’t we have been in charge, at least of those efforts?
We weren’t trying to control the cities. Rouhr wasn’t in control of Nyheim, he was an advisor. Of course, he was an advisor with the capabilities and permission to order people around, so I guess I could see how people would misconstrue that into thinking he was in charge.
As Leena and Tella would say… God fucking dammit! We had to find other ways of figuring this out and making it work.
“Iq’her?”
I picked my head up to see Tobias standing in the doorway.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but another runner came in with a report,” he said meekly and placed the report on my desk.
As he turned to leave, I asked “Do you think we’re trying to take things over, Tobias?”
He stopped in the doorway. I could see his shoulders drop a bit. “I know why you’re asking.” He turned to me, a sad look on his face. “I don’t believe you’re trying to take over or control us, but I’m only one person. There’s a lot of people that do feel that way.”
I nodded. “I know. How do we fix that?”
“I don’t know.” He stepped back into my office. “I’ve been kicked out of my apartment because of my affiliation with all of you. My landlord doesn’t feel that it’s good for him and the rest of his tenants to have such a ‘blatant alien lover’ living in his building.”
That hurt me, right in my heart. “I’m sorry, Tobias. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment.”
“Thank you for thinking so, sir,” he said, a weak smile on his face. “It’s okay, though. I’ve always wanted to move over by the park and the pond anyway. Much more tranquil view, if you ask me.”
I nodded. “I agree. If you come up with any ideas on how we can improve relationships between all of us, please don’t keep it to yourself.”
“I won’t. I firmly believe that all of you are only trying to help, and I appreciate that.” He stepped out of my office, closing the door behind him.
I picked up the report and read through it. It was about the attack this morning. The three sent to the hospital had four more with them, two of which escaped. The night patrol that had dealt with them had gone back to their bunkhouse.
While there, the bunkhouse was attacked by people throwing rocks, pipes, anything heavy.
Three of our own injured, one badly thanks to a rock to the eye, and significant property damage.
What the skrell were we to do?
Stasia
“How do I look?”
“Perfect,” Iq'her smiled. Grabbing my hand, he forced me to do a quick twirl and then leaned down to kiss my forehead. “Don’t worry. You’re going to do great.”
“If you say so,” I whispered, not knowing what to think. I wasn’t feeling as confident as he was, that was for sure.
A few days ago, I was nothing but a waiter, and now here I was… ready to meet the Nyheim mayor and General Rouhr. Of course, I requested for Iq'her to accompany me, since I would feel more comfortable with him around.
All my life I had been adrift, but with him by my side… everything felt just right.
I could be strong, knowing that he’d always have my back. And now, I needed to go tell some very scary people, some very scary things.
“The general and the mayor are ready to see you now,” a young secretary announced, gesturing toward the large double doors in front of us.
She pushed them open and then stepped out of the way to allow us in. I did my best to keep a straight posture as I marched inside the office, holding Iq'her’s hand so tightly I was surprised he wasn’t complaining.
“Miss Stasia Cole, I presume,” the general greeted me. He was sitting behind a large desk in the center of the office, but he stood up the moment I stepped inside the room. He offered me his hand
and I took it, barely believing that I was shaking hands with the alien responsible for the city. “I’m the general, but I believe you already know that.”
“And I’m Vidia Birch,” the woman standing next to the general said, a kind smile on her lips. “But I believe you know that, as well. Thank you so much for taking the time, Miss Cole.”
“Please… it’s Stasia.”
“Stasia,” the general smiled. He gestured toward the empty chair in front of his desk and I sat down on it, already trying to think of everything I needed to say.
After the chaos that my brother had unleashed, both the general and the mayor had decided they couldn’t remain idle while the city population split itself down the middle.
They wanted to bridge the gap between the different races and, for that to happen, they needed to hear from me.
“Are you nervous, Stasia?” Vidia asked me, and I found myself nodding.
“Don’t be,” she smiled, laying a hand on my shoulder. “We’re among friends here. We wanted to meet with you because of everything you went through… your experience is invaluable. I know that the people have been complaining about the way we’ve handled things so far, and we want to hear what those complaints are. We want to do better, and that’s how we’ll start.”
“I want to help, too,” I told her, and then took a deep breath before continuing.
I started out slowly, going through whatever it was I remembered people in the street constantly complained about, but my arguments started becoming clearer and clearer with each word that left my mouth.
The government needed to be more transparent about its dealings, and it was important for the population to know the aliens were only acting in an advisory capacity. If people stopped seeing the aliens as usurpers, that would be a start.
It wouldn’t be easy, but I trusted that people would come to their senses sooner or later. Hope needed to triumph over despair, and I would do my best to keep on believing.
“Those are some great insights,” the general mused when I was finally done. I only realized I had been speaking nonstop for almost twenty minutes when I felt the need to reach for some water, my mouth completely dry. “You have your finger on this city’s pulse, Stasia.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, sir. I’m just an ordinary person.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” he said kindly. “More often than not, the common people are the ones that change the course of history. Tell me, Stasia, how would you like to serve as a special liaison between the government and the people?”
“I… what?”
“It’d only be a temporary position,” Vidia smiled. “At least at first. But the people need to see they have someone on their side. Someone who they can trust to voice their concerns, and someone that’ll keep them in the loop. After everything you’ve gone through, I believe you’re the right person for the job.”
“I will do my best.” I straightened my back. It was a big responsibility, one that I was almost afraid to accept, but if I could help Nyheim be a better place...then it was my duty to do so. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“Well, you came extremely well recommended.” General Rouhr laughed, and I couldn’t help but notice that he exchanged a quick glance with Iq'her.
“Thank you.” Getting up from my seat, I looked from Rouhr to Vidia. “Not only for trusting me… but for being so open about everything. I wasn’t sure before, but now I know that the right people are in charge.”
“We’re glad to hear it, Stasia.”
Feeling more optimistic about the future than I had felt in weeks, I started walking toward the door, Iq'her by my side. I already had one foot outside the office when I suddenly remembered something.
“There’s something else,” I started, turning on my heels to face both the general and the mayor. “It’s about the vines… they behaved strangely during the fight in the settlement.”
“Strangely? How?”
“One of the vines seemed as if it was about to attack me, but then… it stopped. I don’t know what happened, or why it was acting like that, but I can’t help but think it was watching me. Examining me. Somehow, I don’t think that the vines are just plants.”
“No, they’re more than just plants,” Rouhr agreed. “But what you’re describing is new. What happened after?”
“Instead of attacking me and the woman I was with, the vine… it simply retreated. I have no idea why, but it was almost as if it didn’t want to attack me. It thought about it, and then decided against it. At least that’s what I believe, General.”
“Thank you for sharing that with us,” he said solemnly, his smile from before replaced by a serious expression. “We’ll pass that information along immediately.”
With one final nod, I turned around and left.
“I knew you were going to do great.” Iq'her laughed as we made our way out of the building. “I just had no idea that you’d dazzle them like you did.”
“I didn’t dazzle anyone,” I protested.
“Trust me, I’ve known the general for years now… and he definitely looked impressed. He nominated you as a special liaison, Stasia. That’s irrefutable proof that you impressed the man.”
“There’s only one man I want to impress,” I laughed, stopping right before we left the building. Turning to Iq'her, I went up on tiptoes and kissed him. “And that man is you.”
Epilogue: Stasia
That night, Iq’her and I went up to the rooftop. His apartment building was one of the tallest in Nyheim, and the view from the rooftop was incredible. The sky above us was littered with thousands of tiny burning stars, and the city itself seemed to reflect the vaulted night sky, the dim lights of the streets illuminating the city arteries.
Nyheim was one of the largest cities on the planet, and even at night it seemed to bustle with life. Even despite all the hardships, the city’s spirit had remained strong and unbowed.
Unbroken.
“It’s funny, but I never really took the time to appreciate Nyheim,” I said as I leaned against the railing, my elbows resting on the cold steel. “I had always taken it for granted, I guess.”
“It’s a beautiful city, yes,” Iq'her whispered, almost as if he was afraid to disturb the night’s quietness. Closing the distance between us, he laid one hand on my waist. “But, more important than that, this our home.”
“Home.”
The word was as simple as it was beautiful but, at the same time, it sounded almost foreign. Exotic, even. After my parents’ deaths, I never really thought I’d feel at home again, no matter the place I ended up. Then Iq'her stepped into my life, and he showed me just how wrong I was.
“Yes, home,” he repeated. “It has its problems, but we’ll help turn it into a better place. In time, Nyheim will flourish.”
“I believe you.”
It was the truth. I had always been a pessimist, but that had already started to change. There was hope in my heart, not to mention that I also felt responsible for the city’s future. A public liaison role wasn’t much, but it was a start. I now had a purpose, and I would do my best to ensure I would make a difference, no matter how little it’d be.
“Stasia,” Iq'her spoke up after a short moment. “There’s something I’ve been thinking about these past few days.”
“Something good, I hope,” I said as I turned to face him, an amused smile spreading across my lips. He seemed nervous, and that was an emotion I wasn’t used to seeing on his face.
“I hope so,” he nodded. “I hope this isn’t too sudden, but… will you move in with me? Stay here, forever?”
For a moment, I said nothing. I just stared into his big eyes, my heart happily beating inside my chest, then I threw myself at him. “YES!” I cried out. Smiling, he picked me up easily with both hands on my hips, and spun me around.
By the time my feet touched the floor, I was elated.
My body felt frail and delicate against his, and right then and there I realized just ho
w much I really needed him.
Without him, I would never be whole again.
“Come here,” I whispered.
My eyelids slid half closed as my lips parted for him, and he tasted me as if this was our first kiss all over again. Our lips didn’t linger on each other for long, but when he pulled back there was a fire in his eyes.
He let his fingers go from my cheek to the nape of my neck, and softly tangled them in my hair. “I love you, Stasia.” His words hit me with the force of a thousand burning suns and, for a moment, I was speechless.
Then I realized I wanted to say the same.
In fact, I desperately needed to hear me say it out loud. Only then would I know that what we had was real, that it wasn’t a dream I would wake up from.
“And I love you, Iq'her.”
He smiled then, and pulled me close. “Come,” he said, holding my hand. “Like you humans say… this deserves a celebration.”
“It does,” I laughed, my heart tightening as I anticipated what he had in mind. It wasn’t hard to predict, since I had the same exact thing on my mind. Iq'her and I… we were completely in sync.
We had barely made it through the door of his apartment when our lips met, the magnetic pull between the two of us too strong to resist. Kissing in a frenzy, we stumbled our way through the apartment, discarding our clothes as we went. By the time we collapsed on top of his bed, our naked bodies were already burning from the inside out, desperate for each other.
“Take me,” I begged him, wrapping my legs around his waist as he loomed above me. Laying his body on top of mine, he pressed the tip of his cock against my entrance and teased me. His eyes remained on mine and the smile on his face was a defiant one. “I said, take me… now.”
With that, I tightened my legs around his waist and pulled him into me as hard as I could. Unable to resist, he sheathed the whole length of his erection deep inside me, and I arched my back as pleasure shot up my spine. I didn’t even know if I was moaning or screaming… all I knew was that my throat was growing raw, and that every single nerve ending on my body had suddenly come alive.
