by Sonia Nova
On the face of it, he couldn’t see anything, but his sense of being watched only increased as he stood half-out of the cave and scanned the area. His tail swayed anxiously and his whole body was on high alert.
Staying close to the rock face that the cave entered into, he edged along it to try and get to a vantage point where he would be able to see more. But it was useless. The area they’d stopped in had a lot of large rocks that were plenty big enough to hide a Suhlik behind and there was no way for him to see behind them without getting close.
Switching the gun in his hand for two traditional knives, Kraev forced himself to edge away from the wall and start looking behind the rocks. The dark night was going to give him some cover at least. It might have been reckless, but there was no way he was going to return to the cave and wall himself in there with his mate if there were Suhlik out here. He needed to know for certain.
He kept looking over his shoulder, back at the cave, every few seconds. Nothing was going to sneak past him and get at Olivia while he did his investigating.
The first couple of rocks had nothing behind them, but it didn’t make him doubt his instincts. His instincts had been right many times before and he was sure he’d been woken up by something.
Then, the second he turned a corner, he saw something move in the darkness. He moved before thinking, springing himself on top of the moving figure – a male – and put the knife to his throat.
It was only afterward, just before he sliced the throat of the threat, that the full situation dawned on him. The light blue skin, the shaved hair and braids, the tribal leather that the male wore over his chest.
His moment of hesitation allowed the other warrior to throw him off. Kraev landed easily on his feet and loosened the grip on his knife.
Then, he grinned.
“Zevyk!” he said, moving toward his brother again, this time to give him a large hug. “Stars, I thought you were Suhlik.”
Zevyk laughed. “So little faith, brother,” he replied. He gave a whistle and then shouted over his shoulder, “It’s Kraev.” At normal volume, he asked, “The wreckage to the north is yours?”
“Yes.” Kraev walked as he talked, heading back toward the cave entrance and to his mate. “We escaped from the teleport base, but ships followed us. I got one, but another managed to gun us down.”
“Us?” Zevyk asked tentatively, keeping pace with Kraev as he walked back to the cave entrance. More warriors emerged from behind rocks and gathered in the clearing in front of the cave. Many of them raised their hands and nodded to acknowledge Kraev.
Olivia’s small figure emerged in the mouth of the cave. She was shivering and her eyes were wide with concern. “I wondered where you’d gone,” she said softly. “I guess this explains that.”
Zevyk clapped Kraev on the back. “I’m happy for you, brother,” he said. “I was worried when I didn’t hear from you after the teleport base and when I saw you alone just now. I thought maybe you’d lost her.”
Kraev wrapped his arms around Olivia, his chest pressing into her back to try to give her some of his warmth. She shivered once but then leaned into his embrace. She still stood a bit lopsided, clearly trying to keep weight off her ankle, but it didn’t appear as bad as the day before.
“This is Zevyk,” Kraev told her, gesturing to his brother, who was appraising her with blatant curiosity. She was the first human any of the warriors had seen, most likely. “Zevyk, this is Olivia.”
Olivia gave him a shy smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Zevyk. Thanks for helping us out earlier. And for finding us.”
“I’ll admit we thought we’d be attacking you rather than saving you, but I’m glad you didn’t turn out to be Suhlik that had crashed here.” He smiled at Olivia and then turned back to Kraev. “Are both of you okay?” His eyes scanned the wounds on Kraev’s chest. “Physically?”
“Olivia’s ankle is damaged,” Kraev said, ignoring his own scratches. They were already healing anyway. “She’s struggling to walk. I assume you’ve got a ship nearby?”
Zevyk nodded, his expression gaining a serious edge again. “Not far from here,” he said. “Just over the ridge. It won’t take long to get there and it’s not too difficult walking. You should be able to carry her.”
“We’re going to continue checking the area,” one of the other warriors, a male named Torun, said. “Just to make sure there’s nothing we’ve missed. The Suhlik could have spotted the crashed ship, too.”
Zevyk nodded. “I’ll take them back to the ship and wait for you there.”
Kraev ducked into the cave to grab their supplies and heard Zevyk and Olivia talking outside. He was excited for them to get along. Zevyk was family, and he wanted his mate to know and love all his family as much as he did, because she was part of that family now, too.
He wanted to know her family, too. She spoke so fondly of her parents and her brother. He hoped that one day he would get to meet them.
Outside, he hoisted Olivia onto his back and held her legs with his arms. She rested her chin on his shoulder and was so close to brushing her lips against the skin there that it made his tattoos awaken and his skin shiver.
Zevyk carried what was left of their supplies for them and they headed out toward the ship.
“So,” Kraev said to his friend as they walked. “What’s the situation? I assume that things have improved if you’re out here investigating two-day-old wreckages.”
“We’ve secured the planet’s atmosphere,” Zevyk replied, walking slightly ahead so that he could lead the way. “But there are Suhlik still on the surface. They got a lot of men down here before we managed to chase their ships off. We’re not sure what we’re looking at in terms of numbers just yet. That’s why the teams are trying to force them out of hiding before they can group up.”
Kraev made a noise of distaste. He’d been hoping that things would have been more secure than that. Suhlik still on the planet meant that Olivia was technically still in danger, even if it wasn’t immediate. “And the volcano base?”
“Secured. Completely. It was never breached.”
Kraev nodded. “Good. Then I can leave Olivia there and she’ll be safe.”
Olivia’s head perked up at that. “Leave me there?” she asked, her voice quiet.
Guilt filled his heart at the uncertainty in her voice. He didn’t want to leave his mate, but he had no choice.
“All the warriors will be on search duty,” he said, the statement backed up by a nod from Zevyk. “It’s standard procedure. We’ll have lost some pilots during the fighting, so my role is doubly important.” He squeezed her legs because it was the only place he was holding her, hoping it would comfort her. “Leaving you is the last thing I want to do, but this is my duty.”
Olivia was quiet for a while, but finally, she nodded. “That’s okay. I understand.” Though she didn’t sound like she particularly liked it. “Hopefully, one day when you’re doing your duty, I’ll be in the hospital doing mine.”
“I’d like that,” he replied. He understood needing purpose, needing to fulfill your duty. It was almost refreshing that he had found a mate who understood that just as much as he did.
“You’re a medic?” Zevyk asked, turning to Olivia with a curious expression.
“I was a doctor in training on Earth,” she explained. “I’d like to keep training here, if someone is willing to train me.”
“I can’t see why they wouldn’t be. I’m sure Dr. Zayen would like to have more hands in the medical bay.”
As they walked, Zevyk and Olivia chatted with each other, and she told him some of the things that Kraev had already heard, about Earth and about herself, and things he had not yet discovered. The conversation set a comfortable mood and warmth filled Kraev’s heart. He was getting to know his mate, and his mate was getting to know him and his family.
It looked like things were finally starting to go right.
As Zevyk had said, it wasn’t a very long walk to the ship and the groun
d was easily covered since he carried Olivia. She rested her cheek against his neck as they neared the ship – something much more substantial than the small craft they’d escaped the teleport base on.
“So, what now?” she asked.
“We’ll wait for the others in the ship and then we’ll fly back to the volcano base. I can show you to my quarters. Your new home. And then I can be debriefed. I’ll let you know what I’m doing exactly once that’s happened.”
She brushed her nose against his neck, her hot breath making him shudder. His tail twitched, tentatively wrapping around her uninjured leg.
“Okay,” she said. “That sounds good.”
This ship was large enough that it had different rooms, as well as the bridge, and Olivia looked like she was ready to die of happiness when he showed her to the head.
He moved to the bridge where Zevyk was looking at readouts on the ship’s engineering screens. As soon as he came in, his friend turned his full attention to him.
“So, how are you?” Zevyk asked.
Kraev was unable to keep the grin off his face. “I think I might be the happiest man in the universe.”
CHAPTER 13
OLIVIA
Olivia sat in a seat on the bridge of the ship, with monitors in front of her that were showing information that she didn’t understand. Her translator translated the words, but they meant nothing to her. Technical jumbo.
Instead, she watched Kraev as he maneuvered the much larger ship through the skies of R-2841. It really was different with something this big. He regularly turned to call commands to the rest of the crew and communicate with the other pilots. Somehow, watching him take charge of the team made her a little flustered.
She looked out the windows but could see no Suhlik ships in the air. Although the lizards were no doubt hiding somewhere on the surface, the planet looked peaceful.
They arrived in the volcano base after a short flight, landing through a large opening in the mountain wall. Inside, her thoughts immediately gave way to awe.
The base was incredible. It was a masterpiece of engineering that she couldn’t imagine in a similar volcano back on Earth. A combination of metal and rock, with a few specks of colorful plants, the volcano formed a massive cave inside its walls. Rings of walkways framed the sides and huge elevators connected each layer. From each level, seemingly hundreds of tunnels led to other areas.
It was a small city.
“Wow,” she marveled as they stepped off the ship into a huge hangar and started to walk deeper inside the volcano. The rest of the group splintered off, but Kraev stayed right beside her. “It must have taken ages to build this.” She wanted to run her fingers over the silvery metal walls but felt silly.
“I believe it took a couple of years,” Kraev said. “It was built before my time. Mostly, the building was done by machines, so it wasn’t too arduous. It was figuring out what to tell the machines that was the laborious part, but the Mahdfel architects and engineers in charge were very skilled.”
“I can tell that,” Olivia said, amazed. She gave in and ran her fingers against the wall they walked beside. It felt like metal. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting. “It’s so quiet here.”
They barely ran into anyone as they walked through the base. The corridors were strangely empty considering how big of a structure the volcano was. She’d expected more life inside.
“People are out fighting,” Kraev explained. “Well, scouting more than fighting now. It’ll take a while to make sure that none of the Suhlik remain on the planet. Even a lone Suhlik could do a lot of harm if people aren’t expecting him. And the women and children are most likely in their homes. It’s the safest there.”
“So, that’s where we’re going? To your home?”
“Yes.” Kraev smiled and she found herself wanting to smile back at him, but her nerves suddenly hit her. This was his home… and hers too, from now on. She wasn’t sure what to think of that. Somehow, the reality of that was still yet to hit her. She also wasn’t sure what Kraev’s expectations were once they got to his rooms…
She blushed at the thought. They were just about to call an elevator when a tall, blue-skinned warrior came up behind them.
“Kraev.” He didn’t say the name loudly, but his voice commanded attention nonetheless.
Kraev immediately turned and lowered his head. “Warlord,” he said.
Olivia hurried to avert her gaze too. She’d been intrigued by the man’s extensive number of tattoos and the intricate braiding on his head. He seemed to have more hair than most of the warriors she’d seen so far. Now those things made sense. It must have been a status thing on Raewan.
“I’m glad to see you’ve returned,” the Warlord said to Kraev. “And that you found your mate safely.”
“No one is more pleased than me that she is here and healthy.” Kraev lifted his head and smiled as he looked the Warlord in the eyes again.
The Warlord turned to her. “You must be Olivia Griffin from Earth. I was notified of your arrival. I’m pleased to see that you are well, despite the circumstances. I’m Rath ek-Tuin, the Warlord in charge of the operation here on R-2841. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Olivia bowed slightly. She wasn’t sure what the appropriate protocol was. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too… Warlord.”
She raised her head and could swear the Warlord’s lip had twitched at her addressing him. She might as well have imagined it though because, when he turned back to Kraev, his expression was fully serious.
“I know it’s the last thing you want to hear right now, but I’m going to need you on the search teams. A pilot with your skill will be invaluable in rooting out the last of the Suhlik that are hiding on our planet.”
Kraev nodded. “I would expect nothing less. I’m ready to do my duty. I want to make sure those lizard scum are off our home.”
The Warlord nodded. “Good. Rest tonight. First thing in the morning, I’ll give you instructions as to which quadrant you’re searching.”
“Yes, Warlord,” Kraev said, sounding pleased with the outcome.
The Warlord clapped him on the shoulder and then turned and strode away.
Olivia let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Somehow, she had completely tensed up in the Warlord’s presence.
“So that’s the overall boss?” she asked.
Kraev looked like he wanted to disagree with her wording, but eventually nodded. “Yes. He is the current Warlord of the Mahdfel clan on R-2841, but he is very new. The previous warlord died in battle against the Suhlik only a bit over a year ago. He seems to be doing a good job in a bad situation, though.”
Olivia nodded. It must not be easy for any of them in the middle of an invasion.
They took an elevator up six floors and then took one of the corridors off the main ring. Warm lights ran along the roof of the tunnels, illuminating everything without making the metal walls feel too cold and uninviting. At equal intervals, doors lined the corridor on both sides.
They walked deeper into the volcano until Kraev finally came to a stop in front of a door. Olivia’s heartrate suddenly spiked. This was it. Her new home.
“I hope it is to your liking,” Kraev said almost shyly as he pressed his hand to a panel on the side of the door and it slid open.
Olivia’s breath caught in her lungs as she stepped inside his quarters. She hadn’t known what to expect from Kraev’s room. Maybe something spartan and cold, like the military man’s stereotype.
What she found was the opposite of that. The door opened into a small living room, with cushioned seats and a large TV-like screen on the wall. Maps decorated the rest of the walls, depicting a wide array of locations from cities and planets to galaxies and the whole universe. Everything looked sparkling clean and modern, but it was still strangely homey.
She loved it.
“This is nice,” she said, looking longingly at the cushioned seats. She hadn’t realized how much her back, le
gs, and ankle were hurting until she looked at something that comfy. Sleeping in caves and straining her ankle had really taken it out of her. She’d never even really hiked back home, never mind done anything like this.
“You like it?” Kraev asked behind her, almost hesitantly.
Olivia smiled at him. “It’s a hundred times better than what I was imagining.”
He finally cracked a smile, his turquoise eyes sparkling with intensity. “What were you imagining?”
She laughed, rolling her eyes. “You don’t want to know. Something like a typical bachelor box or rugged military quarters.”
She resisted the urge to slump down onto the softly inviting couch. Instead, she turned to explore the rooms behind the three doors leading off from the living room. One was to a kitchen.
“What’s this?” she asked as she walked inside, gesturing to a large device that looked kind of like a microwave. While the room was obviously a kitchen, it looked different to one on Earth, with strange devices all over the place, and she couldn’t begin to guess what they were used for.
“That’s the food replicator,” Kraev said.
She tilted her head, looking at the device. “Food replicator?”
“Yes.” He walked closer behind her and opened the cubic machine. “It can create any food in the universe.”
Olivia’s mouth dropped and she turned to him, her eyes wide. “What?” She could still have pizza? Still have ice cream? “Earth food too?” When he nodded, she said, “I can’t believe you didn’t mention this before!” He’d been singing praises of the greenhouses and fruit but had neglected to mention a machine that could create her a burger?
Kraev laughed. “I’ll admit it’s useful, but it almost never tastes as good as the real thing. I don’t use it that often.”
“Can I try it?” Suddenly, she felt giddy. And hungry. The last thing she’d eaten was one of those terrible protein bars.
“Of course,” Kraev said.
He showed her how the replicator worked and she keyed in something simple. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It didn’t get more classic than that.
