by Olivia Myers
Behind her, the male Mongarians repeatedly punched and kicked Ned and Tim. Raissa and Lia screamed and begged them to stop but the aliens wouldn’t listen. Lee 5, who had pulled out his weapon, was knocked down by the chief. He clambered to defend himself and the team but there were too many opponents. Even with the help of the other humans, they were still outnumbered.
As Kimi was dragged away, she saw the Mongarians finally leave her male teammates alone. She hoped against hope that they were going to be okay. At the same time, she wondered with great trepidation why the hell they were taking her captive.
Eventually, as they moved far away from where the space ship had landed, she was blindfolded so she would not be able to commit to memory the route they were taking. She could feel them moving deep into the forest, though, as more branches and leaves seemed to brush against her skin. She could hear the sound of crickets merging with the crunching of dry leaves and fallen twigs under heavy feet. The aliens, on the other hand, remained quiet. Once in a while, she could hear them whispering in their odd-sounding language. She didn't understand a word, of course, and had no clue where they were taking her and what they were planning to do with her.
Soon, to her relief, she was placed back on her feet. They untied her legs and then guided her across rough terrain. Even through her solid, hardwearing boots, she could feel the bumpy rocks beneath her feet. At one point, she even had to crawl along a jagged, rocky surface while blindfolded. Throughout this time, she knew there were two Mongarians on either side of her, leading and assisting.
Soon, she could hear the mounting noise that indicated more Mongarians all around her, engaged in conversations in a language she could not comprehend. Her blindfold was removed, but not the cloth wrapped around her mouth.
It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. When she finally got the chance to observe her surroundings, she figured they were in a compound similar to The Dome where humans lived on Planet Venora. However, while The Dome was an enclosed structure with thick, tough metal walls, this facility had been created inside a series of caves deep in the forest. She saw a small community made up of stone edifices that housed families of Mongarians as well as various buildings necessary in running the entire commune.
"Welcome to the Mongarian community," an ominous voice whispered to Kimi. She whipped around and found herself staring into the bloodshot eyes of the chief Mongarian. "Now the two of us are going to have some fun."
Kimi shuddered as she imagined what he meant by that. The chief shouted some command to the other Mongarians who reluctantly left them alone. Other passersby looked at them curiously while there were some who deliberately shied away upon seeing the chief.
His eyes flashed with obvious lust as they swept across her body from head to toe. Kimi trembled in fright, but she did not make any move. Her mind was busy going over her options to get away from this creepy alien. She could make a run for it, but she doubted she'd get far. It seemed like the ordinary Mongarians in the community were not as evil, so she could maybe find someone to help her.
At that moment, the chief grabbed her tied hands and hauled her toward a much darker corner of the cave. Squinting into the shadows, she could barely make out a door where she knew he intended to take advantage of her.
"Chief!" A loud, deep voice suddenly called, making him stop and turn around. "What are you doing? Where are you taking her?"
Kimi saw an irritated Mongarian whose features resembled the other aliens, but in a gentler way. His shoulder-length, wavy black hair flowed freely around his chiseled face and neck. He only wore a thick, cream-colored toga around his lower body instead of the usual armor.
Kimi hadn't realized she was staring at his exposed beefy chest, broad shoulders, and burly arms. She reddened a bit, but he did not seem to notice. His intense brown eyes were fixated on the chief.
"She's my captive," the chief said menacingly, stepping in front of Kimi as the other Mongarian approached.
"She is not," the other one said firmly. "I did not even ask you to take part in this forced arrest because I know you have malicious intentions. You do not deserve to be our chief at all, which is why you were replaced while you were away."
"What are you talking about?"
Kimi watched the exchange in fascination. The other Mongarian looked quite cool and much more reasonable. He was even fine-looking, unlike most of the male Mongarians she had seen so far. Perhaps he would actually help her get out of this situation.
"You had not been here for a while," the Mongarian in the toga said matter-of-factly. "You have shirked your duties lately, to frolick in the woods in search of women you can lay your hands on. The rest of us decided to vote you out of your position while you were away. And you know it is allowed in our society."
The cruel Mongarian was fuming. "You have no right!"
"Of course we have," the other one answered. "We already did. You can go and ask the council."
In an instant, the chief stomped awayand was lost to Kimi’s sight. When he was gone, the other Mongarian turned to Kimi and untied her hands. "I trust you will not run away, Kimi Wilson," he said.
Her heart pounded as she gaped at him. She didn't know if it was because she was nervous or if it was due to their proximity. He was, after all, good-looking in a rugged, sort of primitive manner. And his muscular, half-naked body didn't help her weakness toward such men. Though he wasn't as handsome as Lee 5, he had a sociable and pleasant aura that attracted her. Maybe being the captive of this Mongarian won't be so bad, she thought.
***
The strange yet interesting alien introduced himself as Khan-Min, one of the doctors of the Mongarian community.
Despite the fact this civilized and respectful doctor was apparently the one who had asked for her to be kidnapped, her curiosity got the better of her. Hence, she followed him quietly as they walked across the vast complex inside the caves.
“I’d like to show you something in the infirmary,” the doctor said. “It’s important and I’m sure you can help.”
As she followed him, she couldn't help gawking at all the muscular Mongarians they passed. The male aliens had a relaxed manner, wearing plain togas and showing off their bare torsos. Most of the women wore short, primitive-looking dresses made with different animal hides. in spite of their grisly appearances, they seemed calm and friendly . These ordinary Mongarians did not give as violent an impression as those she had encountered outside the caves.
Khan-Min spoke up when he noticed her observing his people. "You might be surprised to find that we are actually similar to humans. Those who attacked you before were good soldiers poisoned by the former chief. He offered them gold and gems to gain their loyalty and following."
"Oh," was all Kimi could utter. That explains it. Eventually she began to relax too, feeling that Khan-Min was telling the truth about his kind.
"I am sorry you had a bad first impression of us," he added as he stopped in front of double boulders. "Here we are now."
Kimi stopped too and looked on in astonishment as he pressed a spot on the boulders, causing them to part. They opened gradually, revealing a large hall filled with crude beds. Each bed was occupied by a Mongarian patient who looked weak and in pain. Several doctors and assistants were attending to them.
Kimi gasped as she took in the pitiful scene. Many of the patients were elderly, pale and thin. One was crying in obvious pain while another whimpered quietly, his face buried in a pillow.
"Every single day, more patients are becoming inflicted with what we call The Plant Syndrome," Khan-Min said. "After twenty years of living on Earth, it's only now that we are experiencing health problems. At first, we thought it had to do with the planet's changing atmosphere and our ability to adapt to it. But later, we were able to confirm it relates to the plants we consume as our daily diet. It seems the makeup of the Mongarian body is not suited for such food."
Kimi understood why she had been chosen. She was a botanist, aft
er all, who had been studying the Earth's flora for quite some time. In the past, she only had books, videos, and digital research materials. Recently, she'd been sent on a mission to collect samples from Earth so they could see if the planet was fit for human habitation after a thousand years.
Khan-Min continued. "Twenty years ago, our scientists believed that the Earth was the next plausible place for our kind to live. When our own planet began to deteriorate until Mongarians could no longer survive there, we had no other choice but to transfer to this planetThe plants were abundant even though there were no animals to consume for meat. However, the Mongarian scientists had failed to double-check the compositions of the plants. I believe they were not yet fit for consumption. This is why most of those who lived here for a long time were affected by the syndrome. Eating the unsafe plants over the years finally took a toll on their health"
"Oh, my…" Kimi whispered as her heart went out to the poor, innocent patients.
"Today, we are doing our best to screen all the plants. There are new species that are less dangerous."
"I'm really sorry to hear this," Kimi said sincerely. "But what does it have to do with me?"
Khan-Min faced her, his intense brown eyes burning a hole into hers. "You, Kimi Wilson, will help us test the plants and discover the foods that match our body makeup. This is what you do in Planet Venora for the humans, right?"
"Yes, but---"
"Please…" he pleaded, taking her hands in his. "We need you. I know you don't have any obligation to us, but I'm appealing to your humanity, kindness, and generosity."
"Let me think about it.," Kimi pulled her hands away. She could not deny the fact his touch had an affect on her, and that she felt sorry for the patients and for the plight of their future here on Earth.
That night, she was so exhausted that she did not have the energy to protest about anything. She did refuse to eat, but gladly accepted the clean room they offered her. It was a tiny one with raw, cave-like walls in gray tones. The only furniture inside was a bed made of wood. At least it had a comfortable mattress covered with a soft fabric made of animal skin.
Immediately, Kimi fell asleep and got lost in a dream world filled with half-naked Mongarians dancing among the plants of Earth.
***
She didn't know why, but an invisible force seemed to draw her toward Khan-Min, especially after she was able to observe him at work. His passion for his work combined with his genuine concern for patients' wellbeing was admirable. After a whole day of observing and assisting him, she came to a decision.
"I'll help," she told him at the end of the day. "But I have three conditions."
"Fire away!" Khan-Min said excitedly.
"First, please inform my teammates that I am safe and will help out with this mission for a while until you guys can take over."
"Consider it done," he instantly quipped.
"Second, I cannot stay for more than a month. I have a family waiting at The Dome in Planet Venora."
"Sure thing," he said.
"Third, I must be treated with respect at all times and as an equal. I don't want to be a prisoner here."
"Of course," Khan-Min agreed. "I'll see to it."
"Thank you," Kimi said with sincerity, beginning to look forward to the exciting project she was going to participate in along with this striking alien who fascinated her.
During the next few days, Kimi spent her time collecting and analyzing various plant samples. She categorized them into those that were safe for consumption and those that were considered harmful for the health of Mongarians. Furthermore, she came up with combinations of plants to make into delicious and nutritious food concoctions. Her first "dish" became popular in a snap. Pretty soon, almost everybody in the community knew who she was and was grateful for her presence and contributions.
Every now and then, she went with Khan-Min to look at patients, test their blood and waste samples, and review their cases. She learned so much in a short span of time, not just about health and science but also about the Mongarians. She eventually came to know some of them on a personal level and discovered they were very emotional and expressive like a lot of human beings. She learned to appreciate them, coming to the conclusion that they were generally good people, after all.
The first week passed in a blur. Kimi heard her teammates were able to travel back to Planet Venora. She suddenly feared that she may never get back home, but Khan-Min promised her that he himself would personally arrange for her flight via the only space ship the Mongarians owned. She had no choice but to bank on his trustworthiness.
One time, after checking up on a female Mongarian who was only in her forties, Kimi smiled and was about to leave when the patient grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Thank you," the alien woman whispered, uttering the only English words she knew while her eyes brimmed with tears.
Kimi's heart soared as she embraced the woman and said, "You are more than welcome."
"She's doing better because of you," a male voice suddenly said from behind her. She knew his voice by heart now. Her smile widening even more, she turned around and gazed into his deep brown eyes filled with gratitude and appreciation.
"Don't be silly," Kimi said with shyness. "That's not my doing. It's yours. I'm not a doctor."
"But I know how it feels to see you smile," he said, his voice dropping low and his eyes twinkling. "You have a way with people. Your simple smile is so genuine and powerful that you seem to pass on your sunny disposition to anyone you smile at."
Kimi grinned. "You're such a tease."
"I'm not joking," he insisted.
She waved him away and walked toward the double boulders that marked the infirmary’s exit. "I'm out of here," she called over her shoulder, flipping her long brown locks behind her. She knew he was grinning at her back but she did not dare turn around. She wanted to keep him hanging.
She was disappointed when he did not come after her. Over the past few days, they had grown close. He had been dropping hints that he was interested in her and would openly flirt when they were not officially working. And because she was also attracted to him and she truly enjoyed flirting too, she did not hold back.
She had the afternoon off that day so she decided to take a stroll outside in the woods. She came upon a bubbling brook, so she dropped down on her behind and rested beside it under the shade of an old, huge tree. She leisurely stretched her legs in front of her and then extended her arms above her head before relaxing them. Then she leaned on the tree trunk and simply breathed in the simple natural beauty around her.
"May I join you?" someone said, to her astonishment. She looked up to see Khan-Min smiling down at her and then dropping down to the ground. He was wearing his usual toga. By now she ought to be used to the sight of his exposed muscular brown chest. But seeing it up close only made her want to run her hands across the surface and feel his muscles tightening under her fingers.
"I didn't give you permission to join me," she teased.
He was now seated next to her, their bare arms brushing against one another and causing an electric current to spread throughout her body. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, tickling her skin with his warm breath. "How about giving me permission to kiss you?" he asked boldly.
Kimi's heart jumped to her throat as she turned to him. Without waiting for her answer, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers gently. She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them to find him gazing at her with intense desire. Somehow, he was still waiting for a go signal from her. She couldn't help it anymore. She acted on impulse, kissing his moist lips. He responded eagerly.
As their tongues found one another, increasing their carnal desire, her hands lingered on his exposed chest. She rubbed his muscles, pinched his nipples, curled the little hairs around her fingers. He pressed closer and wrapped his arms around her body.
His hands crept under her shirt and crawled upward, caressing her back, the close contact burning her skin. In a few sec
onds, he'd moved his hands around her curvy body toward her chest. His soft, warm hands cupped her full, highly stimulated breasts and fondled them. His thumbs rubbed her already taut nipples, making her clutch at his strong shoulders and moan against his mouth between kisses.
She lost all sense of her surroundings as the scorching desire of her body consumed her. Their hands and tongues explored each other's bodies as they fell together on the soft grass, with Khan-Min on top. His hardness grew against his toga, making her reach underneath his clothing to touch him. Her hand wrapped around him and stroked up and down in slow motion while he covered her neck with wet kisses. He grew harder and longer, making her eager to feel him inside of her.
It was dimming all around them and the beautiful sunset filled the entire sky with a wonderful mélange of colors. Kimi and Khan-Min were oblivious to it, though, as their carnal yearning deepened.
Kimi could feel herself moistening, the heat pooling between her legs, making her feverish. She longed to be touched there.
Khan-Min abruptly stopped. He rolled himself to her side, breathing heavily, and sat up. She sat up too. “Why did you stop?”
Suddenly, she heard approaching footsteps accompanied by the rustling of leaves. Several grunts followed. Then a familiar voice said, "Well, well. Look who we have here."
Khan-Min stood up and helped Kimi to her feet. He then faced the former chief squarely. "What do you want, Bojan?" Khan-Min demanded, stepping forward until they were almost nose to nose.
Bojan, the former chief Mongarian, glared at Khan-Min. He spoke in their language in an angry tone. Khan-Min did not stay calm this time. He answered back in the same tone and looked as if he really wanted to punch the obnoxious alien right then and there. Eventually, to Kimi's relief, Bojan backed down and left with a grunt.
"What was that all about?" Kimi asked.
"Nothing," Khan-Min replied, trying to calm himself.
Kimi knew it wasn't nothing. She suspected the argument had something to do with her. Khan-Min didn't look like he would tell her, so she let it go and decided to focus on their work and enjoy their budding relationship.
