A New Reason To Fight: An Intergalactic Romance

by T. J. Brandow

  “Wow, is that the capital city?” John asked.

  “No, it’s a smaller city- Jarifnot, but on the other side of it is the military installation where the Harignot scientists are working on the weapon we’re after,” the sergeant said.

  Closer than the crowded towers were domes not unlike the ones that they’d seen where several Harignots moved back and forth like tiny worker ants.

  “Is this a mining colony too?” Phil asked, but the sergeant pretended not to hear him and turned his attention to the east.

  “It’s another patrol returning to the city- let’s move!”

  The others followed the sergeant, unsure of where they would hide. John was now at the back of the group. Up ahead was another guard station on the outskirts of the city. They spotted the group, but the sergeant took out his laser cannon and shot the guard who was looking out from a high window, aiming his weapon. The creature cried out and fell from the high window. The group managed to get inside the tower just as the hovercraft flew up to them. A huge laser beam projected from the hovercraft, blasting a hole in the platform and cutting off John from the rest of the group.

  “Where’s John?” Sergeant Miller asked.

  “He got cut off!” Phil said.

  “We can’t help him now,” the sergeant said as he looked around him. On the outside of the guard station a mini hovercraft had been parked.

  “Everyone into the hovercraft, and join hands again!”

  “Oh brother,” Jay mumbled under his breath. The sergeant activated the cloaking device and the three of them escaped the detection of the large patrol car that had stopped just above John’s head as the small hovercraft zoomed off towards the city.

  John dropped his laser cannon and put his hands in the air, hoping that the Harignots knew what the gesture meant. A slot opened in the bottom of the hovercraft, and a tracking beam shone down on John. He was lifted up into the ship, and his weapon was taken from him by two muscular Harignots. John was placed in a chair as one of the aliens pushed a few buttons on a liquid control panel to his right. The chair lit up, and John could feel himself losing control of his muscles. Only his jaw muscles seemed to cooperate.

  Chapter 5

  Amerta Karignot wiped the sweat from her brow and looked at the screen above her head to check on her afternoon rounds. She had only been a part of the Harignot defensive squad for a few months but was already beginning to grow weary of the role she had been given. One of the tasks that new recruits had to perform was the task of taking care of prisoners in an enormous tower on the edge of the defense compound, located just outside of the city of Jarinignot.

  Amerta’s parents had been killed during the war over Degborta, a cerulean ringed planet near Harignot. Her father was a well-known soldier who had volunteered to help defend the mining colonies there. A sudden Earth invasion took out most of the colonists, and it was many years before the human outpost was finally defeated. To the Harignots, Earthlings were greedy and selfish terrorists only looking to expand their territorial holdings in the known universe. Amerta hated the humans that had killed her parents, and she would never forget what had happened.

  At age nineteen, she was tall and beautiful with large blue eyes and soft, light brown hair that fell around her shoulders. Being slender, gorgeous and well endowed, she had gained the attention of many male Harignots but had yet to find the right companion for herself. Most of the male Harignots in the squad were too rough around the edges and abrasive in their speech and manners to catch her attention although many had tried. Besides, Amerta was focused on getting to the front lines where she could really make a difference against harmful invaders.

  When are you going to go get a glass of Tambutle with me, Amerta? I’m still waiting on your answer. Karignot asked her using the usual mind language that Harignots usually used. Karignot was as handsome as any young male Harignot, but he was cocksure and arrogant, qualities Amerta had little use for.

  Ok then, it’s no, Karignot. Now you can stop asking Then she got up to tend to a new prisoner.

  Why not? Aren’t I handsome enough? I’m the quickest shot in the whole city and I’m sure to be the bravest fighter in all of Harignot once I get out of this place he said.

  Well then, you will have your choice won’t you?

  I have made my choice- I desire only the beautiful Amerta he said.

  Sorry, Karignot my decision is final She gave him a partial smile as she walked out of the room.

  She climbed into the matter reorganizer, a device that worked much like an instant elevator and examined the chart for the new prisoner.

  “A human?” she said out loud. “Why must we go to the trouble of keeping them alive? What good purpose does it serve?” she asked no one in particular as she felt her skin began to feel prickly as it did when one entered the matter reorganizer. In an instant she appeared in the shaft of the prison level.

  Hey Amerta To was her friend, Shelig.

  Hey Shelig Amerta smiled, then looked back at the chart.

  John Norman- believed to part of a plot to take over mining operations outside the city of Jarinignot. Human scum Amerta thought to herself.

  The cells in the compound had invisible force fields around them rather than bars. Harignots treated their prisoners well and provided them with spacious and comfortable quarters. Amerta made her way to the last cell on the hallway where John sat dejectedly in the corner. He wasn’t at all what she’d expected. In her mind, she pictured him as being this bullish, muscle-bound creature with spite in his eyes. What she found was a handsome, sad creature that appeared to be vulnerable. His soft blue eyes and kind face didn’t jive with her ideas about human nature. Despite herself, she felt a strange attraction to him that she did her best to dismiss.

  John could feel eyes on him, so he looked up from the corner where he sat. What he saw was the most mesmerizing thing he had seen in all of his travels. None of the nebulas, comets, stars, and planets compared to the beauty of the creature before him. Although he was still feeling a sense of defeat since his capture, he could not help but smile at the tall, delicate form in front of him as she stood there in her form-fitting purple dress that fell below her knees.

  “Hello,” he said.

  Amerta locked eyes with him for a moment, feeling something that she had never felt towards a human before- it was a kind of empathy. She brushed this off and quickly looked back down at the chart. Afterwards, she switched on a tiny language de-coding device that was attached to her dress so that he could understand her. Amerta, like all Harignot children were taught English at an early age.

  “I’m not here to make conversation,” she said as she pushed a few buttons on the control panel that suddenly appeared when she touched the invisible barrier on his cell.

  John stayed in the corner with his head between his knees as Amerta made a circular motion with her long, perfect fingers. John could feel himself lose control of all of his muscular functions as he had when he was first captured. Only his jaw muscles still worked.

  “I’m not going to try to escape or hurt you,” he said.

  “I am not willing to take that risk,” she said. “Stand!” she commanded, and John’s body did what she asked without him being able to control it. John felt self-conscious as she looked him over and typed things into the hand-held device that she used to record information.

  “How long will I be here?” he asked.

  She glared at him. “You are our prisoner. You will never be set free.”

  “Don’t I get a trial?” he asked. She gave him a puzzled look.

  “I don’t know what that is. Here we judge the prisoners by their actions and information we obtain from our mind scans. Since you have decided to invade our planet, your fate is likely sealed.”

  “I have no desire to cause you or your people any harm. I was selected to go on this mission to obtain the secret plans for an anti-matter weapon. We only wanted to obtain the plans to stop your leader’s plans to use this weapo
n against us. I’m sure you know all of this from the uh- mind scan,” he said, sarcastically.

  Amerta laughed at him- it was a cruel and spiteful laugh.

  “Yes, you truly believe that- don’t you?”

  “Of course I believe it. It’s true,” he said. Amerta’s expression changed as she looked him over again- he could sense that there was some pity in her gaze.

  “You really got fooled by your own army, didn’t you?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Human- our spies have obtained information about your so-called exploration unit that’s now headed for the main gas mine outside of the city,” she said.

  “Gas mine? Why are they heading there?”

  Amerta shook her head. She was beginning to feel quite sorry for this fool of a human.

  “Why do you think? The humans have wanted to get their hands on our fuel for some time. We possess gases on our planet that will provide years of clean, efficient energy. Your little band had hoped to take the mining operation by surprise and make off with the spoils- as much gas as they can obtain,” she said.

  John laughed- not believing what he was hearing.

  “Come on- why would we send an army of five humans to take over an entire mining colony?” he asked.

  “Only if one of you was in possession of a weapon so powerful, you would not need a large fighting force,” she said.

  “Wait- what are you saying?”

  “According to this report, our patrol managed to capture images of your group when you were staying at the abandoned mining colony. Your leader is in possession of the weapon that he told you the Harignots had developed.”

  “The sergeant has an anti-matter cannon with him?”

  “They captured images of him as he slept with the weapon by his side in a sealed case.”

  “Why did they not attack us?”

  “They were not close enough. Our technology allows us to capture images from many miles away. You barely got out of there in time before we captured all of you- quite a pity,” she said.

  John looked deeply into her eyes, but he could tell that she was telling the truth.

  “Son of a bitch. I can’t believe this,” he said.

  “Would it have made a difference if you had known the true nature of your mission? You agreed to serve in the army so you are obliged to do whatever they tell you to.”

  “I would not have agreed to steal resources from your planet. I grew up hearing stories about how brutal your people were. They even show images of you as these green monsters with sharp teeth and slobbering mouths,” he said.

  Amerta laughed at this. Despite her best efforts, she pitied the handsome human that stood before her. She could tell that he was being completely honest with her. With a wave of her hand, she let him have control of his muscles again.

  “Thank you,” he said, stretching out. She backed away towards the other side of the invisible barrier.

  “Wow- I wonder what else I’ve been taught is a lie,” he said, sitting down in the corner again.

  “They’ve told you what they wanted you to believe,” she said as she turned to leave.

  “Wait, where are you going?”

  “It’s none of your business,” she said.

  “What’s going to happen to me?”

  “That is not my decision to make,” she said, losing patience. She still had fifteen more prisoners to look in on.

  “When will I know my fate?” he said as he walked to the barrier, bumping his nose into it.

  “Ouch!” he said, rubbing his nose as Amerta laughed again.

  “Soon, I would expect,” she said, locking eyes with him once more before turning away.

  “Um, Amerta- can I request something?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “Might I have something to write with and a notebook?”

  She looked a bit bewildered by this request. Harignots don’t write- they simply transcribe their thoughts onto computer-like devices.

  “I will see if I can obtain such a thing. Why do want it?”

  “I’m a writer of sorts- it’s kind of a form of therapy,” he said.

  Amerta was confused by this but decided not to ask for anymore information. She had too much work left to do.

  You sure did talk to that human for a long time Shelig remarked as she passed Amerta. He’s kind of cute-isn’t he, for a human I mean

  Amerta felt the same way, but didn’t want to admit it.

  I felt pity for him- something I’ve never felt towards their awful kind. He truly believed that he was on some kind of peacekeeping mission.

  Peacekeeping humans? That will be the day. All they are interested in is war and the spoils of war Shelig shook her head as she shared this thought.

  That’s what I always believed Amerta shared.

  After Shelig walked away, Amerta began to wonder if everything she’d always been told about humans was true. This was her first human prisoner that she was in charge of, and he wasn’t anything like what she’d expected. She expected a hard, cruel, and wicked being- but he was sensitive, articulate, and sad. As she made her afternoon rounds, she continued to think about John despite her best efforts to put him out of her mind.

  Chapter 6

  Sergeant Miller led the group of recruits to another abandoned site just a few miles outside the city of Garnignot. It was another guard tower with a large balcony that could be used to see anyone that might be approaching. Once John had been captured, the group had taken the opportunity to make haste from the site and proceed with the next phase of operations. The sergeant was the only one who knew the true nature of their mission, although the others had been informed during their initial briefings about where the mission would take them.

  Once the group stopped in the guard tower, Phil adjusted his glasses and let out an impatient sigh.

  “We have to help John. We can’t just leave him in their custody,” he insisted. Jay who was standing with his laser cannon at the ready shook his head.

  “Forget it four eyes, he’s gone. If we try and go back the way we came, they’ll capture us as well. Is that what you want?” Jay said.

  “No, of course not, but what do you think they’ll do to him? Don’t you think they’ll torture him until he tells them our mission?” Phil asked.

  “They won’t need to,” the sergeant said.

  “What do you mean, sir?” Steve asked.

  “The Harignots have technology that’s very advanced. They likely know by now where we’re headed and probably got information from Norman without needing to torture him,” the sergeant allowed.

  “What? So, we’re just sitting ducks out here. How the hell do you expect us to get to the compound where they’re storing the anti-matter weapon plans if they know everything?” Phil asked.

  “Alright, it’s time to reveal the true nature of our mission,” the sergeant said as he took a deep breath and gazed out over the edge of the balcony.

  “What?” they all said almost at once.

  “We are not here to capture the plans for an anti-matter weapon, we are here to use one, if necessary.”

  “I don’t get it,” Jay said, scratching his head.

  “You wouldn’t,” the sergeant said as he took the case strapped to his shoulder and put it down so that he could open it. After a few minutes, he’d assembled a weapon that resembled a bazooka, only sleeker. It had a huge chamber, an advanced scope, and a shoulder rest.

  “An anti-matter weapon?” Phil asked.

  “The most advanced weapon ever built. I could take out an entire army with one shot,” the sergeant said.

  “So why weren’t we told any of this and what are you going to use the weapon for?” Phil inquired.

  “I couldn’t tell you the true nature of the mission until we got here for many reasons- the main one is that I needed to ensure that you wouldn’t object to it. We are here to take valuable resources from one of our biggest enemies.”

  “You mea
n, we are going to take their fuel supplies?” Steve asked.

  “You bet,” The sergeant said.

  “Well it was smart not to tell us about it because I sure wouldn’t have come if I’d known,” Phil said.

  “Why not four eyes? These creatures are our enemies and if we take their fuel, it will give us a huge advantage over them,” Jay said, giving him a slight shove.

  “Because innocent beings will suffer as a result. Earthlings are supposed to set the moral standard for the rest of the known universe. We can’t do that if we’re going around stealing resources,” Phil said.

  The sergeant shook his head and laughed. “You really have a lot to learn, Deadrick. If you’re going to survive this mission, you need to get your priorities straight. We are here to serve the Earth’s best interests and the mission of the Exploration Army, not to be morally upstanding citizens.”

  Phil shook his head and turned to walk away.

  “Deadrick, where do you think you’re going?

  “I don’t want any part of this- I’ll take my chances,” he said as he adjusted his backpack and continued to walk away.

  “Stop right there- recruit!” Sergeant Miller said, raising the anti-matter gun to his shoulder. As he switched the weapon to the ‘on’ position, a tremendous sound resonated from it, rising to a higher pitch as it generated power. Phil turned and put his hands in the air.

  “Alright, sarge you win,” he said as he began to walk back up to the balcony.

  The sergeant put the weapon down as Phil sat down, crossing his arms with a dejected look on his face.

  “We’ll have no more dissention. We are here for one thing and with this weapon we will have guaranteed success!”

  . . . .

  Amerta finished her rounds for the day and was called to a meeting that the prison supervisor had scheduled.

  Shelig sat down next to Amerta as others began to sit down in the plush, white chairs that had been set up in a circle.