by Luna Hunter
“Suit yourself,” I say as I place one knee inside the vent. “I’m going now. Really. Not joking. I’m off. Bye now.”
Peanut hisses at me.
Ah, damn it. I can’t leave that furball behind. I hop out the vent and grab the kitten before it scampers away. Together with my animal companion I climb into the vent, looking for some much-need air. The vent system is like a maze, and all I can do is keep on crawling, looking for a way out.
After several excruciating minutes, fresh air fills my lungs, and it feels like a fog has been lifted in my mind.
“The launch has been a complete success, captain. We are well on our way towards Delta Y.”
I freeze in my tracks as the voices reach me.
“Excellent. Tell Woods to report to my office. I want to go over every last detail of this mission one last time. We’ve got to be prepared for the worst.”
“Yes, captain.”
What kind of ship is this? Prepare for the worst? I don’t like the sound of that…
I tiger-crawl ahead, and when I turn a corner I see light up in the distance, through a vent. I whisper at Peanut to stay quiet and slowly crawl towards the light.
I find myself looking into a beautifully decorated room, with a spacious desk, a leather couch, and a stern-looking man in uniform with more pins on it than I can count.
That’s got to be the captain.
With a hiss, the metallic door slides open.
“You wanted to see me, captain?”
“Yes, Woods, sit down. How is your squad doing?”
“We’re fully prepared, captain.”
I lean in closer, trying to hear their conversation… and the metal of the air duct groans underneath of me.
Uh oh.
The vent gives way.
I come crashing down, landing unceremoniously on the captain’s table with a heavy thud, pieces of the air duct strewn about the room. When I open my eyes, I find myself looking into two drawn guns.
“Identify yourself!” the captain screams. “Are you a Nezdek assassin?!”
“W-what?” I stammer, rubbing my sore elbows. “No, I’m… do I look like an assassin to you?”
I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended.
“No, I’m Lilith. Lilith Rose,” I continue.
“What are you doing here?!”
“That’s what I’m asking myself, too… a little medical attention wouldn’t hurt, you know? Or just a hand, really.”
The captain hesitates for a moment, before holstering his gun and extending his hand to me.
“Captain!” the man called Woods screeches as the captain helps me up. “Be careful!”
“Oh, shut it, Woods. If she was a Nezdek assassin, we’d be dead already. It seems we have a stowaway… or two, actually.”
He nods at Peanut, who is peeking down from the broken vent in the ceiling.
“Do a sweep of the ship,” the captain commands. “Every nook and cranny. Go.”
Woods leaves, grumbling, while I take a long look at the captain. He’s older, but good looking, in a silver fox kind of way.
“You have me at a disadvantage, captain…?”
“Ah, yes, where are my manners? I am Captain Shepherd. Liam Shepherd. How are you feeling?”
I dust myself off. “Well, my ego has taken a big hit for sure, but physically I feel fine.”
“I’ll tell the ship’s doctor to give you a full physical, just to be sure, as soon as you explain what you’re doing on my ship. Do you know what you’ve just done? This is a top-secret mission, months in the making… and you just drop in. Unannounced.”
“Yeah, I heard bits and pieces of it,” I admit. “Sounds serious. And I’m not here because I want to be, believe me.”
The captain’s blue eyes scan my frame.
“Is that a…?”
“Universal Postal Service uniform? Yep. I was delivering a package to the cargo load when you guys took off. I nearly died in there, you know.”
The captain curses profusely.
“My apologies,” he says. “All these preparations and one lazy guard screws up… damn it.”
“It’s okay,” I say. “If you can just bring me back home, I won’t mention it to your bosses. Promised.”
The captain cocks one silver eyebrow.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Miss Rose.”
I knew it was a long shot, but still. I had a sliver of hope.
“We are heading towards our secret objective at a breakneck speed. A spaceship is not like a car, we can’t simply… turn around.”
“Yeah, Delta Y, right? I heard,” I say as I sit down in the captain’s chair, slumping my shoulders.
“Damn it,” Captain Shepherd says. “What else did you hear?”
I shrug.
“Might as well tell you the whole thing, because you’re going there as well now. Yes, we are heading towards Delta Y. As you know, the Zoran flotilla left Earth six months ago, quite suddenly. We believe that this is where they went. However, we haven’t received any message from them whatsoever, which is a bit… disquieting.”
Oh, great. Not only am I part of some secret Federation mission, but we’re looking for a bunch of Zorans that disappeared on some alien world? Hell no. I feel like I’ve seen this movie before — only the thin blonde lives, and I’m none of those things.
Fucking perfect.
Daruk
My pickaxe hits the rock with a satisfying thud.
A layer of sweat covers my golden frame. The heat on this new planet can be unbearable at times. Luckily, the sun has already passed its high point and has started its long descent.
I have nearly reached my quota for the day, and that’s including Yano’s share. My muscles are sore, my hands cramping up, but there are only a few more strikes to go.
The Council of Elders have decreed we Zorans must return to our old ways, here in New Exon. They have disavowed technology. Our ships, our high-tech weapons… they have all been destroyed.
And so, after training as a warrior my whole life, I find myself swinging a pickaxe and mining for ore, so the smiths can mine them into weapons and tools. I’m not one to question my orders, or my elders, but in the back of my mind there are doubts.
We have given up so much.
Life on the Zoran flotilla was… easy. Luxurious, even. It’s that same luxury the Elders rage against, that they say has made us weak. That our ‘line’ has been ‘diluted’ by interbreeding with the humans.
Not there are any other options though — Zoran women are rare. Mating with the humans was, or perhaps is, a necessity.
Admiral Bast, the leader of our Council, has personally assured all of us that that will change here on New Exon. That the Curse of the Emperor will be lifted, that there will be Zoran mates for everyone, if we find it in ourselves to shed the ‘human weakness’.
I’ve yet to see it.
But then again, perhaps that’s not for me to know, to figure out. I’m a warrior. A soldier. My duty is to protect, to serve. The Elders are there to lead. Our problems are their concern.
That’s what father says, anyway.
Personally, I hoped that a new planet might do wonders for Yano’s health. His cough worries me, but it’s only gotten worse since we got here. If it persists… I’ll have to talk to father, or to the Council directly.
There!
Our quota has been filled. I throw the pickaxe on the floor and pick up the two heavy buckets. The walk back to our camp is a long one, and every muscle in my body hurts. I decide to cut straight through the overgrown jungle instead of using the beaten path. It’s more dangerous, but we haven’t seen snake-people here in months.
I’m tired; it’s worth the risk.
The journey passes quickly, and soon I approach our camp. Right before I emerge from the thick foliage, a familiar voice reaches my ears.
“General Goran, I have just received word from our friend, the Czar.”
Is that… Admiral Ba
st? What is he doing at our campsite? I know I shouldn’t be listening in on my superiors, but my curiosity gets the best of me. I slowly lower the buckets of heavy ore and peek between the leaves.
The Admiral, dressed in his full, ornate uniform, is talking to my father.
“What did Baros had to say this time?” my father answers.
“Good news,” Bast answers. “They have spotted a human vessel making its way here. It seems we’re in luck — they are heading our way out of their own free will. Preliminary scans indicate several eligible females on board.”
“Excellent,” father answers.
“Prepare an ambush. Keep the young ones out, they are not ready yet. Special Forces only.”
“Of course,” father answers.
“Good luck, general.”
The admiral turns around, and I duck back into the bushes, my heart beating in my throat. What on Exon were they talking about?
Humans?
Eligible females?
Ambush?
Chapter Three
Lilith
I’m gawking out the window of the bridge as the alien planet approaches.
A big, green marble, hanging in the space…
I never thought I’d see an alien planet. Heck, I never thought I’d leave New Atlanta! Yet here I am, moments away from touching down on some alien world, halfway across the galaxy…
These last few days have been strange for sure, but not wholly unpleasant. The crew of the HF Destiny, although surprised by my sudden appearance, has welcomed me with open arms. I got a free complete physical, and according to the doc I’m as healthy as a horse. It was a bit of a struggle to find a bunk for me at first, but several soldiers offered their place to me, switching their shifts around so they alternate, and I ended up with a room of my own.
Though I shared it with Peanut, of course.
The entire ship starts shaking as we make our descent, and my heart leaps into my throat. I hold on to the railing, my knuckles turning white.
“Are you okay?”
Captain Shepherd is standing by my side.
“I’m fine,” I grit through my teeth. “Not very used to space travel and all that. Shouldn’t you be, you know… piloting this thing?”
“Me? Oh no,” he chuckles. “She flies herself, pretty much.”
“You can’t be serious,” I say, my lips feeling suddenly very dry.
“There is still a pilot, if that makes you feel any better.”
“Slightly.”
The captain nods. “Delta Y, there she is… a true beauty. That reminds me; you probably haven’t had your inhaler yet, correct?”
“My what?”
The captain pulls out a small device from his pocket.
“Here. All my men have been issued this at launch, but you were strangely absent from that briefing.”
I roll my eyes. It’s become a running joke among the ship’s crew that I’m the Federation laziest employee — so lazy I don’t even have a job. I don’t really mind though, it’s nice to have colleagues for a change; especially without having to do any of the actual work!
Delivering packages is a lonely job, and there’s a real sense of camaraderie here on the ship. They even gave me my own personal com-device.
“What is this thing?” I ask, eying the thing the captain just handed me..
“It’s an inhaler. Place it on your lips and, well, inhale.”
“And then what?”
“Do you always ask so many questions to your superiors, Miss Rose?”
“Well, normally my superior is a robot who spits packages at me, so he doesn’t really care what I say… and who said you were my ‘superior’, Liam? Because of those fancy badges on your chest? They don’t impress me much.”
He raises an eyebrow.
“Not used to the Federation’s code of conduct, are you, Miss Rose?”
“Nope, and I never will!” I laugh.
“And yet you sleep in one of our bunks, wear our clothes, sleep in our beds… is this any way to treat your host?”
The captain’s smile has disappeared, his steely gaze fixed on me. My cheeks flush bright red — did I overstep my boundaries? I thought we were just bantering…
“I-I’m sorry. C-c-captain,” I stammer.
After a moment of silence, he breaks out into a smile.
“Just messing with you, Lilith,” he says as he slaps me on the shoulder. “Relax.”
I breathe a sigh of relief.
“You had me going there.”
“I like you, Rose. You’re a breath of fresh air. After a lifetime in the Federation, my crew is so well-drilled… it’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong, but… there’s no room for your special brand of spontaneity.”
“Thanks? I did literally drop in on you.”
When I think back to how I fell out of the ceiling and right onto the captain’s desk, I feel embarrassed all over again.
“That you certainly did. But back to important manners, before I forget. The inhaler! It will protect you from the alien spores on the surface. Not that I think you will actually set foot on the surface… but think of it as a precaution.”
“Alien spores?” I say, wrinkling my nose. I do not like the sound of that.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. The spores on this planet are known to induce a temporarily drunk, euphoric feeling. There’s a tiny, tiny dose of it in the inhaler. You won’t feel a thing, but it’ll help your system to make antibodies. Simply put; it’s an antidote.”
“Euphoric feeling? That doesn’t sound too bad,” I say.
“Well, yeah, you’d think that… but there are rumors of people losing all inhibitions, and even going as far as to, well, to put it bluntly… fuck on the spot, as soon as they inhaled the air on Delta Y.”
“F-fuck?” I stammer. Did I hear that right? “On the spot?”
“Yes,” the captain says, cocking one eyebrow. “So, I’d suggest using that inhaler. Unless very public displays of affections are your thing.”
The captain is smirking, enjoying how uncomfortable he’s making me. Sex is something I do not enjoy talking about, and certainly not with older, powerful men!
As far as I’m concerned, it’s something to enjoy in the bedroom.
In private.
Far away from prying eyes.
To feel a lust so strong you’d tear your clothes off, attack one another like wild animals, no matter who is watching… that’s something I can’t even imagine. It’s certainly not something I’ve ever experienced.
Maybe that’s just my own hang-ups, but… out in the open? In the jungle?
There’s probably a bazillion bugs down there!
No thank you!
I put the device on my lips and inhale deeply. A strange sensation instantly passes through my veins, and I feel dizzy, lightheaded, disoriented. I grip the railing tightly as my knees buckle.
Captain Shepherd grabs my arm. “Are you okay?” he asks.
My vision turns blurry for a second, and when it clears up, all I can see is the silver fox’s fine features. I never noticed how handsome the captain really is. He looks dignified, powerful, gentle… but there is also something mighty lurking underneath that chiseled jaw of his, like he knows exactly how to discipline a woman, to bend her to his will, to train her…
“Lilith?” he asks. “I asked if you were okay?”
With a jolt, I realize I’m leaning in, my knees buckling, my stomach fluttering, my lips aching to be kissed…
What on Earth am I doing?!
“I-I’m f-fine,” I stammer. I let go off the captain and run my hands down my Federation uniform. “I’m fine,” I repeat, firmly this time, trying to convince myself.
The sudden lust disappears as quickly as it appeared, and the world stops spinning.
He’s not even my type. A military man? That would never work.
If this was only a small, microscopic dose… I can’t imagine what breathing a lung-full of that aphrodisiac
must be like.
“Strong stuff, huh?” Shepherd says. “Don’t worry, the sickness will pass in an instant.”
The HF Destiny continues its descent, and the planet’s surface comes into view. A jungle, as far as the eye can see, sprawls out in front of us, with gigantic mountain formations breaking up the landscape. I’m both in awe and frightened by this alien planet.
It looks gorgeous, but… no way I’m setting a single foot outside this vessel.
The ship shakes as we land in a clearing, and the constant humming of the warp engines suddenly stops. We have landed.
The captain taps a button on his wrist-com.
“Woods, are you ready?”
“Yes, sir. Landing Team is ready to go.”
“Proceed.”
A ramp is lowered in front of us, and a squad of well-trained soldiers storm out. They’re wearing full body armor, weapons drawn, moving like a well-oiled machine.
And then I see him. Peanut!
My furry companion slips out of the spaceship, running between Wood’s legs, straight into the jungle.
“Get him!” I scream. “There!”
Shepherd turns to me, eyes wide.
“What?”
“Peanut!”
“Peanut?”
He places his hand on my forehead. “Is the medication still affecting you? Do you want me to call the doctor?”
“No,” I say, slapping his hand away. “Peanut! My cat!”
“Ah, right, that thing.”
“He’s not a thing, he’s… out there! He just ran out the ship!”
“Hm.” The captain calls his squad outside. “Woods, do you see anything?”
“No sir. No contact.”
“Did you see a cat, by any chance?”
“A cat?” I can hear the disbelief in his voice. “No, sir, definitely not.”
“I know what I saw!” I interject. “He’s out there!”
The captain motions for a soldier to come over. “Please escort miss Rose to the med-bay,” he says to the guard. “The inhaler’s effect might have been too strong for her.”
“I’m fine!” I say, but I can see from the captain’s stern eyes that there’s no convincing him. Yes, the medicine made me feel a little off, but I saw what I saw. Peanut’s out there.
And he needs my help.
