by Luna Hunter
I recognize this place. I’ve been here before!
“I know where we are!” I exclaim.
Tyr slows down the hover-bike somewhat so we can talk.
“If we keep going west, we should soon arrive in New Reno.”
“Are you certain?” He asks.
“Definitely. My cousin Emma lives there. My father used to take me out here to stargaze. You can’t see the stars in the crowded cities, of course. Too much artificial light.”
To think I never liked those trips. I wanted nothing more than to hop back on the web and stare at my com-screen all day. Thanks for saving my life, pops.
Tyr follows the path I instructed, and soon the lights of New Reno greet us. He kills the engine and we glide forward silently. My cousin Emma lives on the outskirts of the city, together with my aunt Karen, on a massive ranch.
Most people have moved into the mega-cities, but my stubborn aunt Karen loves the sweltering heat of the Nevada desert. As a result, the area is a good as deserted, and that’s good news for us, because I wouldn’t know how to smuggle a hulking Zoran General into town undetected.
We park the bike in front of their farmhouse. I’m surprised their lights at still on – it must be the dead of night by now – but at least I’m not about to wake them. I tell Tyr to take a step to the side, into the darkness. The last thing I want to do is give Karen a heart attack when she opens the door to find a massive Zoran towering over her!
I take a deep breath and I knock on the door.
Moments later the swing open. Emma stands in the doorway, wearing a pair of overalls, her long blonde hair all in one long braid. Her eyes open wide when she sees it’s me.
“Kate! Oh my god!” she says, throwing her arms around me. She squeezes me tightly. “I’m so glad you’re safe!”
“Hi Emma,” I say, hugging her back. “Is Karen home?”
“Of course she is. Mom! Guess who it is!”
My aunt comes shuffling out of the living room and she clasps her hands in front of her mouth the moment she sees me. “You poor girl,” she mutters as she embraces me. “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe a word of it.”
Now I’m starting to get confused.
“What are you talking about?”
“The news,” Karen says. “You’re on the news.”
She grabs my hand and tries to pull me in, but I stop.
“I have… something to tell you,” I say. “Please don’t freak out. I’d you like you to meet… Tyr.”
Tyr takes a step forward, out of the darkness and into the porchlight. The warm light bounces off his bronzed skin, making it seem like he shimmers with gold.
Emma’s and Karen’s eyes grow to the size of saucers, and for a second I fear my aunt might faint. I reach out and grab her to stop her from falling right over.
“Th-that’s—” she stammers.
“This is Tyr, and he’s my friend,” I tell them. “He’s Zoran, and he saved my life. Twice.”
Emma’s shocked expression quickly turns into an excited grin.
“A real Zoran! He’s so big,” she gasps. “Much bigger than I ever imagined. Can I touch him?”
“He’s not a pet,” I say, rolling my eyes, but Tyr reaches out and opens his palm for her. My cousin runs her fingers across his smooth skin, his hand twice the size of hers.
“Whoa,” she mutters under her breath.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Tyr says, his low voice startling my family members. “I take it you’re Kaitlyn’s kin?”
Emma nods, her eyes drinking in my guardian’s frame, shamelessly scanning him from head to toe. “Yes. I’m Emma, her cousin, and this flabbergasted old lady is my mom, Karen. Mom, say hi to the alien. And close your mouth. It’s not polite to stare like that, geez.”
Karen looks like she’s seeing water burn. Her eyes are big, her mouth hanging wide open, and I can’t help but grin at her expression. Shocked doesn’t begin to describe it.
“Impossible,” she stammers. “Impossible.”
“Let’s go inside,” I offer. “It’s getting kinda chilly out here.”
“Of course!” Emma guides us in into the living room while Karen makes us a cup of old-fashioned tea in the kitchen.
As soon as we walk into the living room Emma shuts off the holo-feed. A worried look flashes across her eyes when she sees me raising my eyebrows.
“In a moment,” she says. “After tea.”
My aunt has never been one for insta-meals and repli-food. She likes to prepare food the old-fashioned way, and soon I hear the nostalgic sound of a whistling kettle.
Moments later we’re all enjoying a hot drink, and crowding my aunt’s old-fashioned living room. Tyr sits next to me on the couch, his immense frame dominating the room, even when he’s sitting down. I have so much to tell Emma, I don’t even know where to begin. For the moment I want to enjoy the normality of having a cup of tea with relatives for just a moment longer, before I have to confront the reality that someone’s after us both.
“This is a rare treat, you know,” I tell Tyr. “Nowadays you can’t buy tea like this anymore. Not the real kind. Not without shelling out thousands of credits, at least.”
Karen nods, filled with pride. “My grandfather stocked up piles and piles of it in the basement, back before everything went south. Properly stored, it’ll never spoil!”
Tyr nods. “Is this one of your clan’s treasures?
Emma smirks. “I guess you could call it that, sure.”
“Then I thank you,” Tyr says solemnly, bowing his head, “for sharing this with me.”
“What is your clan’s treasure?” Emma asks.
Tyr rises from his seat and, with one smooth motion, pulls his golden blade from its sheath.
Karen and Emma cower as he waves his sword around, the metal gliding through the night’s air. I fear Karen might have a heart attack with the way she jumps.
“This is Suncleaver,” he says. “It’s been in my clan for generations.”
He lays the blade down flat on his palms, showing off the many runes that cover the length of the blade.
“This is the symbol of my clan,” he says, pointing to an intricate circle pattern. “And this one represents the continent where I’m from.”
“What about this one?” Emma says, pointing at an indecipherable hieroglyph.
“That one is most recent,” Tyr says. “I had it placed to remind myself of the duty I have to serve the truth, and shield the weak. I had it placed after I slayed the Emperor for his betrayal to our kind.”
The room is dead silent, and Emma exchanges a bewildered look with me when he isn’t looking.
So much for having a normal conversation with relatives! I gently elbow Tyr in the ribs. If we’re going to spend more time together, and it seems like we are, I’m going to have to teach him what polite conversation entails. The politicians we have assassinated are, generally speaking, not an accepted topic.
Karen clears her throat. “What brought you here, dear?”
I sit up straight, resting my hands on my knees. My fingers fidget with the fabric of my pants.
Where do I even begin, after all this insanity? Will they believe me? It all almost sounds too strange to be true.
I spill it all out. Every last bit of it. My meeting with Tobias, the explosion on the Vonnegut, how Tyr saved my life, and again a short while later when we were attacked in the desert. My relatives hang on my every word, and when I stop talking I notice my throat is parched and my arms are tired from gesticulating every sentence.
I sit back in the couch, exhaling a large breath. I feel relieved for having gotten it all off my chest.
“That’s how we wound up at your doorstep, auntie.” I grab Tyr’s hand and interlock my fingers with his. He holds my hand tightly, and I adore the feeling. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.
“It know it all sounds too crazy to be true, but… do you believe me?”
“I believe you, dear,” Karen s
ays. “But I’m afraid no one else will.”
She grabs the remote and turns on the holo-feed. The room bursts full of light as the familiar face of Central News’s anchor, Megan Martingale, fills the room. She’s as beautiful as ever, her hair pulled back into a tight bun, her face showing no sign of emotion. She’s a global superstar, the face of news on Earth.
Growing up, she was one of my idols. I wanted to be like her. I always thought if I were ever in her position, I’d have the power to change the world. You could reach everyone! I met her once or twice in passing at the Central News’s headquarters, and both times I was too starstruck to say anything except gibberish.
My smile fades instantly when I hear the words coming out of Martingale’s mouth.
This can’t be right.
This can’t be true.
This has to be some sort of sick joke.
Where are the hidden cameras?
Where’s the show-host to tell me it was all a prank?
Please.
My fingernails dig deeply into Tyr’s skin, my knuckles turning white, as Megan Martingale’s businesslike voice drones on.
“This is Megan Martingale, from Central News. We’re coming to you live with a new update regarding the explosion that took place on Vonnegut Station this afternoon. We have confirmation from the Federation that this was indeed a Zoran attack, but what is most shocking is that the Zoran had help from the inside.”
My own face lights up the screen. It’s the same photo that’s on my CN-badge. I’m happy, smiling broadly. It was taken on my first day at Central News. I was young. Hopeful. Naïve.
“Kaitlyn Hunt is believed to be have assisted the Zoran in orchestrating this heinous crime. She’s believed to be armed and dangerous. If you see her, do not attempt to talk to her. Go inside and call the authorities. Once again, she is considered armed and dangerous. We’re now going live to Commander Simopoulos who was the last person to speak to her before the attack…”
4
Tyr
“Turn it off,” Kaitlyn says, her voice ice cold. “Turn it off.”
Emma grabs the remote and turns the feed off. “It’s been on the news for hours. They don’t talk about anything else. Imagine our surprise when we find you suddenly on our doorstep… with a Zoran.”
Tears roll down Kaitlyn’s cheeks. “How could they do this? Central News. I gave years of my life to them, and now they’re accusing me of the attack that almost killed me? What did I ever do to deserve this? You believe me, don’t you?” she asks.
“Of course,” Emma responds instantly.
Karen nods rapidly at the same time. “I know you, dear. You wouldn’t hurt a fly. This whole thing stinks.”
I wipe the tears off her cheek. I know better than anyone the heartache that being betrayed by your own kind can cause.
“We’ll get them,” I say. “We’ll show them justice.”
“How?” Kaitlyn cries. “What can we do?”
“We prove your innocence.”
“How?!”
“Tomorrow,” I say. “Let’s think about this with a clear head tomorrow. Can we spend the night here?”
“Of course,” Emma says. “I’ll get the guest room ready.”
Kaitlyn can hardly walk. The news that she’s the prime suspect has knocked the wind right out of her. I scoop her up in my arms and carry her upstairs. Emma has prepared a bed for us, but it’s too small for me, of course.
No matter. I’ll sleep on the floor.
As a soldier, I’m used to worse.
Kaitlyn curls up on top of her blankets straight away, her clothes, stained with dirt, sand, and ash, still on.
“Give me your clothes and I’ll wash them,” Emma says, standing in the door frame. “You’re a hot mess, girl.”
Kaitlyn groans in return.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” Emma says, mock-sighing. She removes Kaitlyn’s shirt, exposing her milky, white skin to me for the first time. Her breasts are round and full, covered only by a bra, and the sight makes my armor feel a bit cramped.
“Your hair is filled with sand, too,” Emma says. “You shouldn’t hover-bike without a helmet.”
“I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m running from the law,” Kaitlyn says.
“Good. Now push up those hips, or there’s no way I’m wiggling you out of those jeans.”
Emma slides Kaitlyn’s jeans past her curvy hips, and I can’t help but drink in the sight of her long, shapely legs. A moment later all that remains is the memory, as she buries herself under a thick mountain of blankets.
“Thank you,” I tell Emma, “for your help.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she says, Kaitlyn’s clothes bunched under her arms. “She’s family, and you saved her life, so that makes you family as well.”
She looks at my dented armor, her eyebrows raised.
“I don’t think I can wash that… sorry.”
I smirk. “It’s fine.”
“Alright. Well, if there’s anything you two need, holler, okay?”
“Will do.”
I close the door behind her, and I exhale a large breath. I rest my back against the door as I try to fit all the pieces together in my mind. It looks like we’re down and out, but I feel like there’s something we missed. Some piece of the puzzle we’ve overlooked.
“Tyr…” Katelyn says, her voice barely a whisper.
“Yes?”
“Thank you… for everything.”
I sit down on the edge of her bed. She’s buried up to her chin in blankets, her brown eyes staring into mine.
“I did just what any Zoran worth his salt would have done.”
She reaches out and grabs my hand, interlocking her fingers with mine. Her touch is warm, and sends a tingle down my spine. I can feel it calms her, and I have to admit, I enjoy the sensation as well. I see a question is burning on her lips.
“What is it?”
She hesitates before speaking. “Do you mind… holding me as I sleep?” she asks, her cheeks burning a bright red now. “It makes me feel safe to know you’re there.”
I’ve never held anyone while they slept, let alone a human female, but I find the offer to be quite tempting.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
She nods.
I stand up and remove my armor – every piece of it.
Kaitlyn’s eyes grow wide when she stares me.
“What?”
“You’re not wearing… uhm….” She swallows the large lump in her throat, her eyes glued to my totally naked body.
“I’m not wearing what?”
“Clothes.”
“I don’t wear anything under my armor, no. Why would I?”
Kaitlyn tears her gaze away from my cock and stares into my eyes, and I see the hint of a playful smile returning to her face.
“You’re right, you shouldn’t wear clothes.”
She throws the covers to the side, revealing her body to me. Only flimsy underwear adorns her curvy frame, and I feel blood rush to my member.
As a general, women have not been a part of my life. Zoran women are rare, due to the High Command’s treacherous poisoning of our own species, and my life has been spent on the intergalactic road, protecting our borders and fighting our enemies. I’ve made my peace with this – it’s the tradeoff for a man in my position.
But right now, I’d love to do nothing more than to fold Kaitlyn in half as I mate with her, all night long, in every corner of this quaint little house. I’d sacrifice my command to breathe in her scent, to feel her warm body pressing against mine.
Luckily, I don’t have to.
I slide underneath the covers. The bed is small, built for a human, so Kaitlyn has to lie down on top of me. She wraps her legs around my waist, her naked skin resting against mine. I slip my arms around her, one holding the small of her back, while the other holds the back of her neck.
“Thank you,” she whispers as she closes her eyes, resting her head on my chest.
I want to take her, but now is not the time. She can barely keep her eyes open, and after the events, we both desperately need our rest.
When she’s fast asleep, I kiss the top of her head, drinking in her scent.
Kaitlyn.
You don’t know it yet, but I will make you mine.
I awaken the next morning because of the sunlight thrown into my eyes. My feet are cold, as the blanket doesn’t go past my ankles, but it doesn’t matter; I have Kaitlyn’s body to keep me warm.
During the night my hand must have slipped, for now it is cupping her behind, my fingers digging into her soft skin. I savor the moment. I don’t want it to end.
I squeeze her curves, and my cock stirs, pressing against her stomach.
“Morning,” Kaitlyn says, as she looks at me with one eye open.
“Did I wake you?”
“Mmhm,” she says as she rolls further on top of me, her warm body pressing down on mine. I run my fingers through her dark hair, and she edges ever closer towards me. Her lips are only a few inches away from mine, until she leans in, and…
“Good morning!”
The door flies open and Karen bursts into the room. She puts down a laundry basket at the foot of the bed.
“Here are your clothes, dear. Take your time and wash up, and then join us downstairs for breakfast. I’ve got some fresh fruit, straight from my garden. Much healthier than that city-food you’ve been living off. Did you sleep well?”
“F-fine,” Kaitlyn stammers, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Thank you, auntie.”
“Don’t mention it, hun.”
Karen leaves the room as quickly as she came in, and Kaitlyn and I can’t help but burst out in laughter. Underneath the covers our naked bodies are still very much entangled, and I give her butt an encouraging squeeze.
“Let’s wash up then,” Kaitlyn. “Shouldn’t make them wait too long.”
She gets up and grabs a towel from the laundry basket, muttering to herself that she can’t believe she, a grown woman, got walked in on by her aunt, like a teenager. She doesn’t know my hearing is much better than any human’s – and I’m enjoying hearing her thoughts about me too much to tell her now.
