A New Reason To Fight: An Intergalactic Romance

by T. J. Brandow

“Is Delilah a nickname or merely a given middle name?” Nys Akari asked out of the blue.

  “What?” Lane stuttered, completely unprepared for the question. Did the Apkallu really want to know about her or was she being polite? But then, what was the point of politeness? She couldn’t work it out.

  “You’re called Lane Delilah Akins,” Nys Akari clarified, noticing Lane’s confusion. “Do you go by Delilah as a name reserved for significant others, or did your parents simply give it to you at birth for ceremonial reasons?”

  “The second,” Lane answered, still not understanding the question. “Why, does your middle name serve another function?” Lane vaguely remembered Maggie explaining all the uses of the Apkallu’s many names, but she couldn’t recall any of the details.

  “Aren’t you hungry?” Nys Akari asked instead, pointing with her utensil at Lane’s untouched food.

  “I’m a bit…” Lane searched for the right word.

  “Overwhelmed?”

  “Yes, overwhelmed.”

  “I see. What would make you less overwhelmed?”

  Lane couldn’t figure out what this Apkallu was driving at. What did she think was going on here?

  Lane stood from the table, taking a few steps away from Nys Akari.

  “Nys Akari,” Lane started, attempting to sound respectful despite her anxiety.

  “Call me Akari here,” she insisted.

  “Akari,” Lane restarted, “I just don’t know what’s going on here. What do you want from me? Am I a prisoner or a guest? What are you going to do with me? Will you let me go home or am I stuck here forever? Will you force me to go through with the procedure to become telepath-abled? Are you going to make me your Abzu? What in hell is going on?”

  Akari let Lane stumble onward, simply watching and listening. Lane couldn’t think, could barely breathe, through the deluge of thoughts that tumbled in her brain and out through her mouth.

  “Be calm,” Akari said when Lane had finally run out of questions. “I understand that you’re upset, but you must trust me when I say that no harm will come to you. At least, not from me.”

  “No harm,” Lane repeated. “What does that even mean? I can find something harmful that you don’t. There’s no way to know—“

  “Lane,” Akari cut her off, standing from the table and taking a step toward her. “Calm down. You’re only going to harm yourself like this.”

  Lane stood completely still, focusing on her breathing. She tried to slow down her hurried breaths. She tried to find a sliver of control over her own body, but she found it harder than she’d expected.

  She moved back to her seat at the table and sat down, cradling her face in her hands. She took a moment to settle herself, berating herself for getting so worked up in the first place.

  Her entire body froze when she felt a hand brushing back her hair.

  She looked up and Akari pulled her hand away at the sudden movement.

  “I’m sorry,” Akari said. “I’ve seen other Humans do this to comfort one another. I thought it might help.”

  As much as Lane wanted to be comforted, she didn’t think that being touched by Akari would help in the least.

  “No, thank you,” she said. “I think I just need to sleep.”

  “If that’s what you wish,” Akari said and Lane swore it sounded a little sad. “I’ll show you to your room.”

  “I’m not going back to my cell?” Lane asked, shocked yet again.

  “No, you’ll stay here with me,” Akari stated matter-of-factly. “I’ve taken responsibility for you and, according to Apkallu law, that means that I have to house you with me. You’ll have your own room, but I’ll have access to the lock.”

  Had Lane been less exhausted and survived less surprises that day, she might have been bothered by this. But, at this point, she just wanted to sleep in peace. She would put up with the strangeness of staying in an alien guest room if it meant she could get some shut eye.

  “Very well,” Lane said. “Show me where to go.”

  Chapter 5

  Lane awoke to the bright colors of Akari’s guest room. It took her a moment to orient herself, but the previous day’s events came back in a flood of memories.

  She buried her face in the pillow, groaning. The bed was large and comfortable, two things that she hadn’t expected, and the clothes Akari had given her to wear at night were soft and warm. The last thing she wanted was to get up and face the day. She had no idea what to expect.

  A bell sounded in her room, making her jump.

  “Yes?” she asked.

  “It’s Akari.” The alien’s voice came over an intercom system. “The computer says that you’re awake. Can you get dressed and come out? I left you some clothes on the chair.”

  “Okay,” Lane replied. She looked over to the armchair and, sure enough, a lightweight dress draped over the chair’s back. It had not been there the night before… She tried not to be freaked out by the fact that the computer told Akari when she was awake and the reality that Akari had been in her room while she was asleep. She wasn’t sure which was more disturbing.

  She reluctantly got out of bed, shuffling toward the adjoining washroom. The alien room was built similarly to the systems on the Human station. Lane couldn’t help but wonder if the entire room was made specifically to be used by Humans. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

  She washed up quickly, not wanting to linger too long in the washroom in case Akari decided to come into her room again and then slipped on the undergarments and dress Akari had left for her. She didn’t wear dresses too often, since they were generally impractical in the lab, but she had to admit that she liked this one. Its fabric was light and shimmering and it filled in her small waist in a way that made her feel a bit less bony than usual.

  After fixing her hair one last time, she pressed her hand against the door and it opened.

  Akari waited for her on the other side of the door, curled up on a couch and reading a holo-projection. The Apkallu wore her Human form again, this time draping it in a long, sheer tunic. Lane blushed when she realized that she could make out the outline of Akari’s breasts through the fabric.

  “Good morning,” Akari said, giving Lane a small smile.

  “Good morning,” she replied. “You look comfortable.”

  “I am,” Akari answered. “You should eat something. I left some traditional Human breakfast foods on the table in the dining room. I’ll sit over here, if it helps.”

  Lane felt a pang of guilt at Akari’s last comment. The alien had only been kind to her since she’d arrived. Of course, she hadn’t let Lane go home…

  “You should join me for some coffee at least,” Lane said.

  “I’ve never had coffee,” Akari said, standing from the couch with an impressive lightness in her movements. “It sounds interesting.”

  “It’s definitely interesting.”

  Akari gestured for Lane to enter the dining room and she followed after. Lane walked carefully, unsure how often to turn her back on the Apkallu.

  Akari had put out quite a spread, as promised. Lane found herself forgetting her worries at the prospect of food.

  She helped herself to breakfast, thoroughly enjoying the food and drink with much less anxiety than the previous night. She even laughed a little when Akari tasted coffee for the first time and made a scrunched-up expression in response.

  “You have a very pretty laugh,” Akari said as Lane dumped a spoonful of sugar into Akari’s coffee. “I’ve never been able to replicate a Human laugh correctly.”

  Lane’s hand hesitated as she stirred Akari’s coffee.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I think it’s rather embarrassing, actually.”

  “Not at all,” Akari assured her, taking the newly-sweetened coffee from Lane. She sipped it, humming with approval. “Yes, this is an improvement.”

  Lane looked down at her own coffee, tan with cream and sugar, and tried to work out her feelings. That nagging domesticit
y struck again, somehow making her feel anxious and happy at the same time.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Lane said.

  “So, tell me,” Akari started, “what exactly did you do every day on that space station?”

  The question made Lane’s anxiety spike through any contentment she’d felt a moment before. She understood this. She could deal with this.

  “Research mostly,” Lane answered, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m a physicist, so most of my work was theoretical.”

  “I see,” Akari said, sipping her coffee again. “And did they ever have you working on any theories related to proton manipulation?”

  Lane frowned at this line of questioning. Proton manipulation could only be used for a few things and most of them involved a good amount of destruction.

  “You’re asking me if we were working on weapons,” Lane said.

  Akari stopped short, her coffee cup held halfway between her mouth and the table.

  “Yes,” she said calmly. “Yes, I am.”

  “But you know that under the Jupiter Treaty—“

  “—you’d have to tell us,” Akari finished. “Yes, I know.”

  “So you attacked the station because you believed we were breaking the Treaty?” Lane accused.

  “No,” Akari said, her tone hard. “We attacked the station because we have proof that you were.”

  Lane stared, shocked by this new information. She thought through all the work she’d done the past year, looking for a connection. She couldn’t come up with anything.

  “But I didn’t work on any of it, if they were,” Lane said quietly. “I had no idea.”

  “Regardless, it was happening. Or, is happening. We have to intervene if we want to prevent an all-out war.”

  “It may be too late for that, considering you attacked our station and abducted scientists.”

  Akari’s brow furrowed, looking sufficiently serious as she stared out into the middle distance. Lane waited for Akari to say something, but a few minutes passed and she didn’t offer anything.

  “What’s the long-term plan here?” Lane asked softly. “Are you planning on using me as a pawn for information? Or to affect the outcome of this situation somehow?”

  “I can’t talk about it,” Akari said coldly.

  A chill ran down Lane’s back at Akari’s tone. The laughter of a moment ago felt lightyears away. She mentally kicked herself for thinking she could be anything but a prisoner on this ship.

  Lane decided it was time to take a risk.

  “Listen,” she said, standing and leaning close over Akari. The alien looked up at Lane with her large, expressive eyes and Lane took a breath before continuing. “I don’t know what you’re up to here, but I refuse to be used against my own people. I will do whatever it takes to resolve this, but I won’t betray my species. So you can be sure that I won’t cooperate, no matter how long we play house here.”

  Lane stayed close, right inside Akari’s personal space, and refused to back down. Akari’s scent, heady in a perfumed way with an undercurrent of spice, filled her senses and made the little hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Lane let her gaze drift from Akari’s intense eyes to her quirky, inviting lips and then to the tiny feathers that stuck out of her curly hair, framing her face. Lane couldn’t begin to understand what about Akari put her so on edge, in both the best and worst ways, but she couldn’t deny the effect that the Apkallu had on her.

  “Lane Akins,” Akari said slowly, “you are a very interesting Human.”

  That broke the spell and Lane took a step back from Akari.

  “I meant what I said,” Lane assured her.

  “I know you did,” Akari replied, standing and taking a step to close the distance between them. “I believe you. That’s what’s so interesting.”

  Lane looked down at her hand when she felt something touch it. Akari brushed the very tips of her fingers along the back of Lane’s hand. Lane drew in a fast breath, every nerve suddenly thrumming with electricity.

  “What are you doing?” Lane asked quietly.

  Akari’s fingers moved to Lane’s wrist before slowly and gently continuing up her arm. She watched Lane’s skin with a keen interest and Lane couldn’t help the goosebumps that started where Akari’s fingers ended.

  “You like this,” Akari said and Lane recognized the emotion that colored Akari’s tone. It was that same tone that accompanied a new discovery or a recently uncovered scientific discovery. It was wonder and awe and curiosity all rolled into one. Lane had heard it in Maggie’s voice and in her own voice from time to time. She’d just never heard it in relation to herself. To have Akari so intrigued by her—it was downright thrilling.

  An eternity later, Lane admitted, “I do.” It felt like she was giving something up, but she couldn’t lie. She took a deep breath, still watching Akari’s fingers on her skin, and then reached out for the Apkallu.

  Akari let out a gasp when Lane’s fingers came in contact with her palm. Thinking she’d hurt Akari, Lane pulled away.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean—“

  “No,” Akari interrupted. “It’s just that we absorb scent through our palms, so it was a bit…”

  “Overwhelming?” Lane supplied.

  “Yes. Interesting, but overwhelming. You smell much nicer than most Apkallu.”

  Akari suddenly took Lane’s hand, closing her eyes and letting out a hum.

  “Definitely nicer,” she echoed.

  Lane stood stock still as opposing emotions battled within her. Her logical brain knew that entertaining Akari’s whims was an awful idea for many reasons, but her scientific instinct wanted to explore further. And, in addition to all that, she felt a knot in her stomach that was undeniably sexual attraction.

  So, instead of deciding, she waited to see what Akari would do.

  “I have so many questions,” Akari said softly. She moved even closer to Lane, her breath warm on Lane’s lips. Lane couldn’t tell if Akari was purposefully making sexual advances or if she was grossly misreading the situation.

  “Why don’t you ask me your questions, then?” Lane replied. She knew that if she could win over her interrogator, she’d have the advantage.

  Akari looked at Lane, her eyes changing from Human to Apkallu faster than Lane could track it. Suddenly, Lane was staring into the dark eyes of an alien and things were even stranger than before. The rest of Akari’s body still looked Human, but a few more white feathers sprouted from within Akari’s hair and along the line of her shoulders. Lane could no longer imagine that Akari was even partially Human. Still, Lane held her ground.

  “What are these spots on your face?” Akari asked, brushing her fingers across Lane’s cheeks.

  “Freckles,” Lane answered. “I was born with them.”

  “I like them,” Akari declared. “I’ve never seen them on a Human before.”

  “Most of my family members have them,” Lane added.

  Gathering her courage, Lane reached out and touched one of the feathers woven into Akari’s curls. The feather was softer than she expected.

  “Are all your feathers this soft?” she asked without thinking.

  Akari made that almost-chuckle sound and answered, “Mostly, yes.”

  As though in response to Lane’s question, white and silver feathers sprang out in a clean line along Akari’s arms.

  “You shift so quickly,” Lane commented.

  “It’s one of my various talents,” Akari answered and it took all of Lane’s power to keep her jaw from dropping at Akari’s flirtatious tone.

  Akari missed Lane’s reaction since she was too busy tracing the freckles on Lane’s face.

  “Freckles,” she said, as though committing the word to memory.

  The sound of a bell broke the tension in the air, causing Akari to step away from Lane.

  “Who is it?” Akari asked.

  “Jinn,” came the answer over the intercom.

  “Come in,” Akari sa
id.

  She stepped past Lane to greet Jinn at the door, shifting into Human male form. Lane watched the transformation with a scientist’s eye, in awe even though she missed half of it because it happened so fast. Lane wondered at Akari’s decision to change as she followed the Apkallu into the living room.

  “What’s happened?” Akari asked as Jinn paced the room.

  “It’s the Humans,” he answered. “They’re asking for their hostages back.”

  “Hostages?” Lane repeated.

  “You, of course,” Jinn clarified.

  Akari crossed her arms, not speaking, and Lane wondered if she was communicating telepathically with Jinn in order to keep her in the dark. Jinn sensed Lane’s unease and turned to her.

  “Don’t worry,” Jinn said. “Akari will work this out. We’ll be back soon.”

  “In the meantime, I have to ask you to go back into your room,” Akari said. “It’s for your safety.”

  Lane looked up at Akari’s male form, thrown off by the physical change and jarred by the suddenly cool tone. She wanted to protest, but knew it wasn’t worth her energy.

  “Very well,” she said. “Just don’t forget your promise.”

  Jinn looked at Akari at this, confusion crossing his Human features as he watched Akari for a reaction. When Akari gave none, Jinn turned his attention back to Lane.

  “We’ll be back soon,” Jinn assured her.

  “I’ll be sure you’re locked in,” Akari added.

  Lane walked begrudgingly to the guest room, a thousand conflicting thoughts racing through her head as the door closed between her and Akari.

  Chapter 6

  Lane couldn’t relax as she waited for Akari and Jinn to return. She sat on the bed for a long while, thinking about the situation she’d found herself in. Next, she opened all the cabinets in the washroom. Then she poked around in the bedroom, looking through the empty drawers in the dresser. When she got bored of that, she ended up sitting on the bed again.

  She had no way of telling time, so she wasn’t sure how much time had passed before Akari returned.

  The door opened without warning. Lane froze for a moment, her heart pumping loudly in her ears, but when she realized that it was only Akari in male form, she relaxed.