“Implant?”
“Here,” P’tah tapped me behind my ear. I reached around, expecting to feel an incision of some sort. To my amazement, there was nothing but a hard lump under the skin. No tenderness or sign of an incision at all.
“All of the crew are similarly tagged. Your particular implant is a little unique. Your physiology made it difficult to calibrate.”
“So, that’s why I can understand you even though I know we aren’t speaking the same language?”
P’tah grinned like a Cheshire cat.
“We used the voices we found on your communicator. I thought, you would trust those voices more and would be more at ease.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what to say.
“The Commander will come to see you soon. I don’t know if you will be able to do it, but, I will tell you this anyway. Please him. Keep him happy. As long as he is happy, you are safe here. I mean you no harm. I am a scientist, not a butcher, but there are butchers on board. And there are those who would harm you just to shame him.”
My surprise must have shown on my face because she rolled her eyes and shoved her hands into her pockets.
“He is the Commander, and you are his property. If somebody were to harm you or use you to ridicule him, he would have to defend himself. If there is one thing that a Troitek cannot tolerate, it is shame. Even defeat in honorable combat is better than shame,” she explained.
“Use me?”
“It seems, if you are to survive, you will have to learn as much about us as we hope to learn about you.”
She made a valid point and, with my gnawing hunger abated, I could think a little more clearly.
“Is it too much to ask for a bath?” I asked.
“A bath? You wish to groom yourself?”
“Yeah, if I’m supposed to impress the Commander, I should get cleaned up. And maybe change clothes?”
I plucked at the pants with my fingers. P’tah looked at me quizzically and then walked across the lab to what looked like a regular wall until she tapped on a console in the wall. The once opaque wall became translucent and then a portal opened.
“You should find adequate facilities in there. I have adjusted the atmospheric levels to make breathing easier for you,” she said. I walked over and looked in. It seemed safe enough, and honestly, what choice did I have?
“What is this?”
“An observation unit.”
“What?”
“It’s designed for humanoids. You should be comfortable.”
“You’re going to watch me shower?” I couldn’t hide my disgust.
“No, but all of your movements and biological data is being recorded. The ship’s central computer is keeping data on all of your bodily functions,” she said in a tone that sounded an awful lot like an exhausted teacher talking to the dumbest kid in the class.
I was angry but did my best to hold it in check. I was a pet. I was a specimen. I was human, but that didn’t mean anything. The Troiteks weren’t invited to the Geneva Convention. I pursed my lips and walked into the unit. The wall became opaque again and it would’ve been easy for normal people to forget that this was, in fact, a human terrarium. But not me, the feeling of being watched and monitored never left me.
I found a large tub in the far corner and turned on what looked like taps. A hot, blue substance, that was just a little too thick to be water came flowing out of the tap. It smelled mildly of antiseptic, which I guessed was a good thing since I couldn’t find anything that I could identify as soap. I took off all of my clothes and slid into the “water” letting the heat seep into my bones. In a shallow dish beside the tub were a number of tools. One was a super-fine comb that I assumed was for combing tangles out of body fur. The other was a rough, loofah-like thing, and the last reminded me of those nail buffing pads. I did my best to get clean and then stepped out of the tub. Another set of clothing was hanging in a tiny wardrobe beside the tub. I slipped into the deep plum colored uniform. It was cut in the same way as my own clothes except that the material flowed away from the body
I finished it off by combing my hair out and putting on what little makeup I had. I knew P’tah would not approve but I needed every bit of psychological advantage that I could get. I spritzed myself with the perfume and then sat on what I thought was a bed and waited. I can’t tell if I waited for hours or just a few minutes, but eventually, he did come.
He entered my cell with the confidence of a conqueror. His head was high and his eyes were on me. He looked down his nose at me and then stopped as if waiting for me to make a move. I didn’t know what he expected so I did nothing.
“You won’t acknowledge your owner?”
I tried not to roll my eyes. I guess, regardless of the species, some people are just full of themselves.
“How should I acknowledge you?”
“How do pets on your planet acknowledge their owners?”
“It depends on the animal and the owner,” I said. I was trying not to let the term “pet” distract me. I had one mission here and it was to give him a reason to keep me alive.
“I will have you stand and bow. That is the least that can be asked of a creature of your status,” he said.
I couldn’t get used to the sound of his real voice, mingled with Siri’s translation blasting in my head. I made a note to try and convince P’tah to upgrade her implant if she expected me to be able to take people seriously. In the meantime, I stood and bowed gently at the waist.
“I am told you have not been properly trained, yet. You are too young to be useful to us. Tell me why I shouldn’t let my subordinates make a sport of your death,” he demanded. I could see the frustration on his face as he spoke. He was a man in control but just barely. I knew that look too well. My father often wore it.
“There is more to winning a war than being stronger than your opponent, Commander,” I said trying not to lose my nerve.
“Are you teaching me how to win wars?”
It was a warning shot. I was on thin ice, and after our first battle, I was very clear on what the punishment for disrespect would be.
“I am saying that there are things you can learn from me that have nothing to do with weapons or battle tactics. Weaponry evolves. Battle strategies can be adapted. But if you understand the mind of your enemy, you will win in the end.”
“Is that what you want? You want us to win?”
I took a deep breath and pushed any thought of what a Troitek win would look like for my people.
“No, I want you to understand us. And, I don’t want to become a sport for your crew,” tears filled my eyes and I didn’t try to hide them. “After everything else, shouldn’t I at least try to survive?”
“It is leaking again,” he said, crossing the room to examine me more closely. Tears, it seemed, were another universal language.
He stood in front of me and bent at the waist to examine my face more carefully. Looking at him this closely, he wasn’t an ugly creature. He reminded me of a lion I saw at the zoo. He was strong and majestic, but there was also a playful look about his features. The strength in his features was savage and guarded as if he had a secret that he couldn’t share, but the knowledge of it made him bristle with power.
“You have covered yourself in plant pheromone,” he said, growling the words low in his throat.
“I... what?”
“This is not your scent, this is a synthetic plant pheromone. Were you hoping to seduce me?”
Seduce?
“No, I just-”
He stood up suddenly and shook his head once trying to clear it. When he looked back at me, his eyes were slightly unfocused and his face was passive. He looked high.
“Is this some trick?”
“No, I just-”
“WHAT IS THIS!” he roared. The sound shook me right down to my bones, and I got another look at the mouth full of sharp, white teeth.
“I just wanted you to like me!” I sobbed.
“And so you cover
ed yourself with this scent?”
“It’s perfume. People on Earth really like it. I thought…” I thought what? What was I thinking?
“You are not to do this again, ever. EVER!”
I nodded quickly, not trusting my voice to hold out. How did he go from curious cat to menacing monster in such a short span of time? HIs proximity made his rage all the more terrifying. I knew already that there was nothing I could do if he were to turn on me. I was helpless.
He backed away from me as if I would burn him. His breathing was uneven and his pupils were clearly dilated. I somehow wanted to comfort him, despite the very real threat to my life. I stretched out my hand and walked towards him slowly. His whole body tensed though he made no attempt to evade me. I put my outstretched hand on his chest and a low rumbling erupted in his chest.
“I won’t use it again. I swear,” I squeaked.
He narrowed his eyes, looking at me intensely before dipping his head and taking another deep breath. The rumbling in his chest grew louder and more intense. Afraid that I was trying to sooth a ticking time bomb, I began to back away slowly.
He reached out with one arm and pulled me against his body, taking another deep breath. It was then that I recognized what was happening. He was purring. His dilated pupils and irregular breathing weren’t signs of rage. He was high, and judging by the bulge pushed against my belly, highly aroused.
“Commander,” I said softly, “this is an observation unit. I am being observed.”
His hand tightened on my back and then he let me go, pushing me away from him.
“You will be moved,” he barked and then left the cell just as abruptly as he entered.
FIVE
I was moved.
Two guards came and physically carried me to another set of quarters.
“Whatever you do, don’t resist,” P’tah warned. “Don’t stare anybody in the eyes and don’t try to run. Your implant will make running and hiding impossible. I have packed a few changes of clothing for you and synthesized several food packets for you in varying textures and consistencies. I believe that your species prefers a variety of tasted and smells. I have added something to help your lungs adjust to the air. You should be fine until I can find a more permanent solution. You will report back here after every sleep cycle. Do you understand?”
I nodded. She handed the packed case to the second guard and looked at me without making eye contact.
It was clear that she was worried about me, but it was unclear why.
“May Thorni’s blessings follow you,” she said as I was hoisted up and moved.
I was delivered to a room that looked like it was right out of star trek. The recessed lighting made everything visible without obscuring the view of the stars. I couldn’t recognize any of them. Not one constellation. I should have paid closer attention in astrology class. But then again, I’d always enjoyed the mystery of the stars. Who knew I would one day be drifting among them.
There was nothing for me to do except eat and play with my phone. P’tah hadn’t severed the data link and I could still get news from the sites that were still working. There were reports from the beginning of the invasion and then scant else. I put the phone down in disgust. There was nothing I could do about any of it, why was I worrying? Didn’t I have enough to worry about right here on this ship? I walked around the room, exploring my new surroundings.
It was comfortable enough; the furniture was covered in strange fabric that was both spongy and textured. There wasn’t a bed or a sofa that I could discern. The furniture almost seemed like it was intended for a much larger, unconventional creature. There was a smaller room off to the side of the main room. This one was dimly lit, much like the lab, and had a small chest sitting on a pedestal. It appeared to be made of some kind of stone.
In this situation, snooping seemed like the appropriate response. Opening the chest revealed a glowing sculpture that looked suspiciously like the dragons at the Lunar New Year parade in China Town. The long, undulating body and the, almost feline facial features were strangely familiar to me.
“You have found Thorni Mai,” Rakesh said from behind me.
I turned and bowed at the waist.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” I replied.
“You weren’t meant to,” he replied, his eyes on the glowing statue. I closed the box quickly and tried to escape the room. He blocked my path and looked down at me.
“Your family name is Kearney. It is a warrior’s name. How are you so untrained?”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know. I guess we haven't been warriors for a very long time.”
He seemed appalled by the thought. I ducked under his arm and went into the next room, retrieved my bag and handed him my bottle of perfume.
“You can do whatever you want with this,” I said. It was best to make peace with the guy who literally had my life in his hand. He took it from me and tucked the bottle into a pocket in his clothes.
“I will do whatever I want, I am Rakesh, Commander of the Chronos, first scouting vessel of the Troitek Empire. You are under my protection, and as long as you give me a reason to continue to keep you under my protection. I will guarantee your safety and care.”
“And so?”
“And so, tell me again, human, why I should continue to keep you under my protection.”
I searched for a good answer, trying to remind myself that I really needed him to like me. He stood mute, relaxed, almost docile. Despite the thick muscles across his broad chest and large arms, he looked almost like a housecat when he was like that. I appraised him furtively, trying to learn how to read his body language. My eyes passed over his crotch and quickly darted away as I recalled the feeling of his swollen member pressed against my belly. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was more human in that department than alien.
“Humans are social creatures. We keep pets for companionship and as assistants for certain kinds of work. They are our most honest and loyal companions,” I raised my eyes to meet his in a move that I knew could be misinterpreted as defiance. “Don’t you need a companion?”
“Humans keep lower species as companions?”
“Yes, they guard our homes, hunt with us, assist those of us who have physical handicaps. And they are loved, like members of the family.”
“And so you would like to be that? You want to be kept as a companion?” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other as he spoke. His tail swished lazily in the air behind him.
“I think that I have to depend on you to live, and so I am hoping we will learn to like each other,” I said meekly. No use in pushing my luck.
“Is that why you sought to seduce me?”
“I never-”
“This spray is commonly used in your human mating rituals. The female sprays it on her skin to attract the male. I have spoken to Dr. P’tah about it already. You don’t need to lie,” he growled.
“It is also used on other occasions. When meeting dignitaries, for example,” I kept my eyes down while I spoke.
“Oh? Well, you will have no further uses for it. Any dignitaries you meet will expect you to smell like me. And as for mating rituals, we have evolved beyond your base carnal practices. We have no need for such things. With a human like you, such a proposition hardly seems like it would be enjoyable. If you try to seduce me again, I will assume you are trying to distract me from my important tasks,” he said.
“How do you know?”
I don’t know what made me open my mouth, but I couldn’t stop myself once I started.
“What?”
“How do you know it won’t be enjoyable if you’ve never tried?”
I was clearly digging a hole and couldn’t seem to make myself stop. But I was scared and I was tired of being scared.
“Your body is too soft and too weak. Our women are stronger,” he said with great pride.
“Among humans, it is the joining of opposites that makes it pleasurable. Didn’t you find it pl
easurable?”
My words were bold but I didn’t feel it at all. I kept my eyes low and made no move to touch him or invite him to touch me. What was I setting myself up for? And most importantly, why?
“I felt...aching,” he admitted.
“Was it painful?”
“It was like longing. I never felt anything like that before. My body was longing,” he said.
His voice caressed my ears even as Siri translated in my head. I could tell that he was curious and at a loss about what transpired between us. I looked up from the floor and took a deep breath. Far from offended, he seemed as though he was in deep thought.
“We call it lust. You felt lust. It is a desire to have- to…” I stalled as his fiery red gaze turned on me. “Mating. It is the desire to have conjugal relations.”
“I have no desire to breed,” he said.
“Sexual relations, for humans, isn’t just about breeding. It's about creating a bond between two people, and it's pleasurable.”
“Oh, and you wanted to make this bond with me?”
“I –” what? What did I want? I felt a strange trepidation. Not fear exactly, more like an exhilaration at exploring the unknown. I was painfully aware of how high the stakes were for me, and surprisingly, it only made me more indecisive. Did I want to have sex with him?
“I accept your offer of conjugal relations for the purposes of bonding.”
I could hardly believe my ear, er, head. He was seriously accepting my proposal and now it was time for me to follow through on my end of the bargain. The image of his roaring, snarling face danced before my eyes. In the throes of passion, would he become that person again? Would he harm me in the process? Could I really go through with it and have sex with a fuzzy lion-man alien?
He stood up straight and waited for me to make a move.
It’s now or never, Eliza, I thought to myself.
“It’s Eliza, by the way,” I mumbled as I undid the buttons on my tunic.
“What is Eliza?”
“My name is Eliza. Eliza Kearney. You never bothered to ask me my name.”
“Is it necessary? For the bonding? Must I call you that in order for it to work? Is that why you called me Rakesh on the first day? Were you trying to initiate a bonding ritual with me?”
A Pet For The Commander: The Complete Series Page 3
