Worlds Away

by J. L. Hendricks

  We were both in our own little worlds as we walked back to my quarters. It was a nice, companionable silence.

  Cazon opened my door for me, and he walked away as he said goodbye. I walked into my quarters and stopped, I couldn’t believe my ears or my nose. I smelled something heavenly coming from the kitchen, and I could hear romantic music playing from somewhere in the room.

  I turned to my right and headed towards the kitchen where I could hear Venay moving around and making some racket, with what sounded like plates and silverware. It was a bit early for dinner, but maybe his schedule today didn’t allow a regular dinner time?

  “What’s this?” I looked around with wide eyes taking in the very romantic scene. “Is that Barry White I hear playing?”

  “Yes, do you like it?” Venay had this silly grin on his face.

  “I do. It’s very romantic. How… who helped you to set this up?” My cheeks were burning and I hoped my face wasn’t red.

  “I did it all myself. The Commander of this cruiser doesn’t really have anyone to go to when trying to learn how to romance a human female. We have some files on Earth cultures and some videos, and this is what I found that was the most often used song and type of dinner when a man loves a woman.” The crooked smile on his face warmed my heart.

  I went over to him, hugged him, and then kissed his cheek.

  “This is very sweet and romantic, thank you. What prompted you to do this?” I took two steps back from his warmth.

  “I heard what you said to Cazon the other day, and I decided to romance you and see if I could get you to fall in love with me. Earth customs are so foreign and strange to us. In V’Zenian culture, when you meet your fated mate, you both just know, and there is no need to court or romance the female. You both talk about it, and then decide to mate. We do have a mating ceremony, but it is more a formality. We never divorce or split up. We don’t cheat on each other. Life is much simpler when we are with the one who we are fated to spend the rest of our lives with.” He pulled back a chair and motioned for me to sit.

  He was being a perfect gentleman. The table was covered with a red cloth, and there were two pillar candles sitting on it burning. I couldn’t help but smile. I had never been on a date like this. The last time I dated was in high school, senior prom. We went to an Applebee’s with a group of friends and then on to the dance. It was not romantic, but it was fun. The last time I had fun in fact.

  “Yes, that does sound so much easier. I wish it was that way for us too. Some believe in soul mates, but even those will sometimes divorce. People fall in and out of love all of the time on Earth. I wish we didn’t, but we do.” I shrugged my shoulders. There was nothing I could do about the millions of people who divorced all of the time. It would be nice to have a fated mate, and never have to worry about divorce or cheating. I think our society would be much better off for it too.

  “We experience love right away once we meet our mate. Don’t you feel it with me?” He took my hand in his after he sat down across from me at the dinner table.

  “You’re in love with me? Already?” I could feel me eyes widening and was surprised at his confession. “But we just met a few days ago. How could that be?” I had never believed in love at first sight.

  He chuckled, “Yes, I am already in love with you. You may not feel the mating bond, but I do. That bond is what helps me to love you. I hope in time you will love me in return.” He leaned down and kissed my hand. The warmth of his lips sent shivers down my spine.

  “Um, I mean, wow. That, well it sounds really nice, but dinner is getting cold.” I felt my cheeks heat with either embarrassment or excitement. I couldn’t be sure since this was the first time I was out with a man, even if he was an alien. “And yes, I hope to be able to return your feelings as well. For us humans, instalove isn’t something we feel very often. So, it might take some time.”

  What was I saying? What was I feeling? Instalove? Stink! I might actually know something about that after all. If I fall in love with this guy, alien, whatever, then I am never getting home and neither are any of the people on this ship. I needed to keep a clear head here.

  He served me a wonderful dinner of roasted chicken with rosemary potatoes, steamed green beans, and a red wine I had never heard of. “Did you get this wine from Earth? Or is it something the replicator made for you?”

  “I picked up all of this food on Earth. Whenever we stop off we also fill up on basics like real meat, potatoes, and a few cases of wine. Earth wine is very popular back home, and we can sell it for quite a profit.” He cut into his chicken and took a bite.

  “So, you can cook real food? Not just replicate?” A warning hit me, and I was worried. Maybe Venay would romance me into liking him. Keeping a clear head was going to be very difficult if he kept this up.

  He laughed a hearty laugh, “No, the food goes into the replicator storage system, and then we can make Earth meals very easily. Once the fresh food is gone, our replicator uses the basic proteins and nutrients we store on board to make our food. But for some reason, your food just tastes better when we use fresh ingredients from your planet.” He smiled and squeezed my hand.

  For some reason, every time he did that, I felt at peace. Like I was loved and protected. I guess I was if I really thought about it. He had already confessed his love for me and shown me he could and would protect me.

  Once dinner was over, we moved into the living room and Venay asked me, “Would you like to dance?”

  Oh boy! I wasn’t sure what to do. Other than the prom and a couple of high school dances, I didn’t dance. “I would love to, but I don’t really dance. Do you know any Earth dances?”

  “Yes, I have been to some nightclubs on Earth and took some lessons a couple of times. I really like one of your TV dance shows. Ballroom dancing can be fun. Do you know how?” He took me in his arms and we started to move to the music. We were moving quite well as long as I didn’t think about it. As soon as I started to think about the steps I would mess up. Venay knew how to lead. A true alpha, so far, in every sense of the word.

  When the music changed to another soft and slow song, he changed it up so that we weren’t really dancing, it was more like swaying to the music. Venay used this opportunity to wrap his hands around my waist and pull me up close against him. I put both of my hands around his neck. He was so tall I could barely get my arms around him, but it felt like I fit perfectly. My head rested on his chest … and it felt like heaven. His heart beat was steady and strong under my head.

  We continued to sway to the music for a couple of songs, not talking, just moving together as one. I closed my eyes and was surprised to feel I felt safe in his arms. A voice in the back of my head was trying to tell me something, but I ignored it. It felt too good to worry about anything.

  He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Are you enjoying this night?”

  I whispered against his chest, “Yes, very much.” I sighed contentedly.

  He lightly kissed my ear, and I felt shivers go down my back. We hadn’t kissed yet. Would this be the night we kissed for the first time? And I don’t mean the sweet kisses on the cheek kinda kiss, but the kind that would tell me if he was the man for me or not. Did I want him to kiss me? The night was perfect. I didn’t want to ruin it by pushing away from him. However, was I ready for this?

  His lips kept brushing lightly along my jaw, stopping every couple of seconds to kiss me. Then when I thought I was going to die from the wait, his lips met mine. It was soft and sweet at first, but as soon as I kissed him back, he put more pressure on my lips, and then lightly nipped at my lower lip. This caused me to moan and I opened my mouth when his tongue stroked my lower lip.

  I felt more than just a shiver. It was like a lightning bolt went through my entire body, and every part of me came to life. I slightly pulled back in shock of the feeling. “What was that?” I whispered into his lips.

  “That was the mating bond. Your body is accepting it.” He kissed me lightly aga
in, “Next it will be your heart.” He kissed me more fervently, “And finally, your mind will accept me as your mate.” He pulled me tight against his body and kissed me until I could no longer breathe. It was everything I thought a kiss between two people in love should be, and nothing at all like what I experienced with my high school boyfriend.

  He pulled away after a few minutes, but I wasn’t ready to let him stop kissing me. I almost said something until I noticed his veins, they were pulsing red. No other colors, just red. “Are you okay? Your veins, I haven’t seen them do that before. What’s happening?”

  He chuckled, then kissed my lips quickly and released me from his hold. For some reason, I started to feel cold. I already missed the warmth of his embrace.

  “I am fine. The kissing was a little too intense for me. Sorry about that.” He had the cutest smile when it was just the two of us. I think he might have saved that exact one only for me. When he smiled at me around others, it was not so warm and loving. This smile made me feel all warm and cuddly. I wondered if they had fireplaces on his planet. I thought about what it would be like on a cool night to cuddle in front of a fireplace with him and drink hot chocolate and share a blanket.

  I looked up at him through my eyelashes. “Yes, that was very intense. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.” I looked down and tried to hide the smile that wanted to take over my face.

  “How long before you agree to be my mate? I don’t know how much longer I can wait for you.” He walked away from me, and heaved a sigh while running a hand through his gorgeous head of black hair.

  “Venay, I know for you it’s instant, but for me it’s going to take more than a couple of days. Please give me some time to get to know you better. Maybe later tonight we can just talk and tell each other about our pasts and what we hope for in the future? You know, a normal dating type of conversation. Or at least that’s what I think is normal. I haven’t dated anyone since I left high school.” I walked over and sat down on the couch, and he sat down next to me.

  Right when we were comfortable, Venay received a message from his first officer. It was in their language, but I couldn’t understand anything since I didn’t have the universal translator installed yet.

  While he was talking, I decided I wanted that done right away.

  As soon as he was done talking I asked him, “Venay, can I get the universal translator installed tomorrow? Would that be possible?”

  He thought about it for a moment, “That might be a good idea. I think we should start the implantation immediately.” He leaned forward and put his forearms on his knees. “There is something I want to tell you, but you can’t tell any of the other humans, not yet. Can you keep a secret?”

  “Yes, for now. But if it is something that will affect them, then I’ll want them to know soon.” I leaned forward and waited for his response. Keeping anything secret from my new friends was going to be tough, but if I could get Venay to open up and trust me, then it might be worth it to hold a few secrets, for now.

  “That is fair.” He stood up and paced between the window and the couch. I sat there waiting patiently while he collected his thoughts.

  “That message, it was from my second in command, Eereen. He has picked up transmissions from an enemy ship that isn’t far from us. We are watching them, but that ship shouldn’t be anywhere near here.” He stopped pacing and looked at me.

  Before he continued, I noticed worry lines on his forehead and around his eyes. “Our two races don’t get along, but we have had a long standing truce. This area is ours, and they are not to come into our territory. Once in a while we catch them here, and they usually run. But this time they aren’t running. They are headed to a planet where we usually stop and pick up supplies on our way home. The planet only has an outpost that is manned by a few hundred warriors, their families, and some slaves. If they head any closer to that planet, we will have to stop them.”

  He came back and sat down next to me, “Do you understand what that means?”

  “Do you have better weapons than they do?” I reached out and took hold of his hand to offer my comfort and support to him. He seemed agitated.

  “Our weapons should be greater than theirs, but we have heard some disturbing reports lately. They have somehow made a truce with another species and gained more advanced weaponry than what they had previously. This could be our first interaction with them and their new weapons. But don’t worry, we are at least a day away from them. They could just be trying to mess with us. Some of their newer captains like to play games. But please be careful. If you hear any claxon bells ringing or see the red lights flash, stay where you are and find a way to keep yourself from getting injured. While we have a strong defensive shield, you could get jarred around and fall into something and hurt yourself if you are walking around. So please find a seat or someplace to strap yourself in.” He cupped my cheek. While his touch was soft, his hand was calloused.

  Even with the bad news, a sense of peace consumed me as he spoke.

  “I will give you access to most areas of the ship but not to the bridge or to the holding cells. Most quarters will have emergency seats with straps, so if you are near living quarters, just put your hand to someone’s ID lock. The occupant will open up for you and help you strap in. If no one is home, then you can override in an emergency. I will create a code for you to punch into the keypad. Can you do this for me? Stay safe if something happens?” Venay was agitated and all I wanted to do was help calm him down.

  “Yes, I’ll find a place to sit out the battle until you find me. But how will you know where I am?” I took his hand from my face and interlaced my fingers with his. My heart was pounding with the thought of having to endure a space battle. Me, a homeless girl in space preparing to fight a second alien species not long after learning that aliens really did exist. It was almost too much to process.

  “Once you have the universal translator installed, I can just call you. It also serves as a communication device.” He squeezed my hand.

  “No tracker, right?” I raised my eyebrows and pursed my lips while considering that he just might lo-jack me.

  He chuckled, “No, some masters do put tracking devices on their slaves, but most don’t anymore. They rely on communicating with their slaves to find out where they are, when needed. And as my mate, you would never be subjected to a tracker.”

  “Do you think there is going to be trouble?” I bit my lip hoping it wouldn’t come to a battle.

  “I don’t really know. I need to get to the bridge. Cazon will come back to get you shortly and help you and Lisa feed our guests. But remember, the men in Alpha cell block only get the rations, nothing else. Do you understand?” He lightly took hold of my shoulders and turned me to look directly into his eyes.

  “Yes, of course. I agree that they are to be disciplined. This is the best punishment for them. And no worries, I’ll stay away from the men. Cazon or one of the other guards will help Lisa feed them.” I put one hand on his knee and squeezed it. For some reason I needed to touch him to assure myself as well as him. But I wasn’t sure what I was assuring myself of.

  He called Cazon who came immediately to get me.

  Chapter 11

  We walked over to Lisa’s quarters and picked her up. “Lisa, have you heard? We get to have our universal translators installed tomorrow! Isn’t that exciting?” Now I would be able to understand everything these guys said in front of me, no more wondering what they were discussing.

  “We do? Rotna hasn’t told me anything about that yet.” She furrowed her brow.

  “Oh, well I just talked Venay into it. Actually, it wasn’t so much as talking him into it, as it was just asking him. And he said yes.” I was giddy with excitement. While I was a bit leery about the procedure, I was excited to be able to eavesdrop on the warriors.

  “How does it work, the procedure I mean?” Lisa smiled and waited for me to respond.

  I stopped short and thought for a moment, “Oh, you know
what? I didn’t ask him. I just know that it is a subdermal implant behind our ear.” I looked over to Cazon, “Do you know how the procedure works?”

  He scratched his cheek, “Well, you have to be put under. I won’t lie, you aren’t going to feel all that great when you wake up. But the feeling should go away in a couple of hours. We have pretty good medicine, at least compared to what you have on Earth.” He smiled and motioned for us to follow him out of the room.

  We made our way to the mess hall and prepared cheeseburgers for everyone except the Alpha cell men, well, and that idiot who hurt me in Beta. Most people were pretty happy with their dinners, and the men in the Beta cells really started to warm up to Lisa, at least. I still wasn’t allowed to get near any of the men in either room. But that didn’t matter to me, I was excited to see my friends … and for tomorrow.

  The men in Beta better appreciate this. Once Venay found out about that one guy who grabbed me, he almost gassed the whole room to punish them. But, I was able to talk him down and make him realize that only the one guy was an idiot, the rest of the men in there distanced themselves from that idiot. They shouldn’t be penalized for the actions of one bad guy.

  “Sheila, I’m going to be one of the first to get my universal translator installed tomorrow. You won’t see Lisa or I tomorrow, but I hope to be fine by the next day.” I was just too excited to keep the news to myself. There was a giddiness to my actions that hadn’t been there for a long time. I think I even had a permanent smile glued on.

  “Paris, what has gotten into you? Why would you want to be the first one to get that? Don’t you know anything about alien tech? It could be a tracker or a death device of some sort! Haven’t you seen any of the alien abduction movies?” Shelia shook her head an crossed her arms over her chest.