by Celeste Raye
The next planet was called Reptilar. The name itself gave Valeri a good idea of what the planet and its life form would be like. Reptilar was a small desert planet. It was covered in large grains of coarse sand. The surface temperature was far too hot to sustain any life. All life on Reptilar was found underground. The deep sand contained hints of water, not enough for most species. Many types of bugs, worms, and lizards lived within the depths of Reptilar.
The life form on this planet, Reptilarians, lived far below the surface. Their bodies were covered in a skin resembling the lizards of Earth. It was the same tan color of the sand on their planet. The Reptilarians had huge, bulging eyes that were covered by a transparent membrane to protect them from the sand. Their tongues had a needle on the end, which was used to extract water from the granules of sand. It seemed that their diet was made up of the bugs and worms abundant around them.
Once again, Valeri looked for information on which bug or worm was being used in the experiment. She found none. Why would the scientists leave out that information? She would be seeing the creatures soon anyway. Valeri shrugged and picked up the next file.
The third planet was Arkani. This one Valeri recognized. The Arkani had a treaty with Earth. They had sent out an SOS just a few years ago. Their females had been dying from some unknown disease. This had been a shock to the Arkani. No one on the planet had ever been sick before. The Arkani men had requested wives. A scientist from Earth, Alexis Fisher, had gathered a group of volunteers and headed for Arkani. Their spaceship had been intercepted by the warriors of another planet, Milisaria. The king had tried to force the women into relationships with his knights, but they refused. His torture of the women caused a revolt, and the king was killed. Eventually, most of the women had been returned to the Arkani and married. Some had remained with the Milisarians, including Alexis.
Arkani was a large planet with one moon. It had dry, red soil and a very slow orbit. It went without sun for many days at a time. When the sun finally made an appearance, it's light was weak. They had to absorb all that they could of the sunlight during those days in order to remain healthy and run their technology in the dark days to come.
The Arkani were extremely intelligent and provided much of the technology and medications for nearby planets. They were not particularly strong. Their planet was a peaceful one, shunning war. Their main sustenance was a nutritional paste, though they imported food for their new human wives. The Arkani were thin and slightly slimy, with obvious veins. Their beauty was found in their wings and their kindness. They were a gentle species who treated their human wives with love and respect. They honored the women's intelligence and treated them as equals. Alexis Fisher had spent several days in the Arkani lab to find a cure for their females. In turn, the Arkani had healed the Milisarian commander, Nabvan.
The final planet was Milisaria. Why did they need to experiment with life on this planet? Alexis Fisher resided there. She was a scientist and had worked for NASA. Surely, they could get all the information they needed from her. Valeri glanced at the date on the papers. The experiment on the subject from Milisaria had begun before Alexis left Earth. That explained things a little bit, but not enough for Valeri's curious mind. She lifted the file and began to read.
Milisaria was a huge planet. It had an atmosphere that was almost the same as Earth. That was lucky for Alexis and the other Earth women who lived on it. It had large masses of green seas and marshes. There were rolling hills and four beautiful moons. The moons were visible even in the daytime. The planet was ruled by a king, his queen, and a group of councilmen. Its territory included many conquered planets.
The Milisarians were a race of mighty warriors. The most elite of its warriors were known as the Milisarian Knights. Commander Nabvan was their trainer. They battled for control of a planet, added it to their territory, and shared its bounty with all the conquered planets. At least that was how it was done now. The previous king had kept everything for himself and those who lived in the capital. King Shene was greedy and cared only about his power. He had many concubines, though Milisarians were meant to mate for life.
This was beginning to sound like a history lesson, and Valeri was intrigued. She dug into her purse for some old peanut butter crackers and settled in for more of the story. It was King Shene that had intercepted the spaceship full of human females bound for Arkani. He had chosen Alexis for himself. When she refused his attentions, he had her starved and beaten with a whip. Her guard, a commander named Nabvan, had saved her life and they fell in love. It was also Nabvan who killed the king and returned the women to the Arkani.
The story was getting better and better. Valeri enjoyed a good love story, and this was an excellent one. Alexis married Nabvan, and several other human females married Milisarian Knights. One such woman, Destiney, married a knight named Siefer. He was later elected as the Milisarian's new king, making the human female queen. Wow! A human was now queen of a faraway planet. Valeri's first thought was, "You go, girl!"
Tragedy struck when the humans became pregnant. Those carrying boys had no problems, but those bearing girls were plagued with illness and pain. One died in childbirth. Alexis, who carried a girl, was suffering from the illness. She found the answer to the problem and developed a serum. She gave birth before it had been properly tested, yet Nabvan administered the serum straight to her heart after their daughter was born and Alexis survived. Their daughter was named Nexxa. King Siefer and Destiney had a son, a prince named Scyon. The children were now three years of age. They possessed the intelligence of their human mothers and the superhuman strength of their fathers. Valeri's excitement grew. The scientist part of her wanted to explore the new species the matings had produced, and the romantic side of her wished to meet these loving couples.
Valeri didn't need to read about the appearance of the Milisarians. She had met several of the handsome knights when they came to Earth to make trades. They were very much like humans, except much taller. The knights she had met were at least seven feet tall. Their muscles were those of a bodybuilder. Their translucent skin was covered in tribal tattoos. The men all had long dark hair, dark eyes, and slightly pointed ears. They would be perfect on the cover of a romance novel. The one odd thing about them was that most possessed four arms, instead of two. Valeri imagined being held in four strong arms and found the idea delightful. They were warriors and got their technology and medications from conquered planets and trading with Earth. This was changing now that they had a resident scientist and a new king. King Siefer was sharing food and technology with all the villages of Milisaria and the colonies on the conquered planets.
Valeri discovered an extra page to the information on Milisaria. It described an uprising on the planet. While King Siefer was away caring for the colonies, his younger brother had started a revolt. The young man, Rowl, had been banished from the planet as a teenager. He blamed King Siefer for the banishment and wanted him dead. Nabvan and Alexis learned of his plot and warned the king. When the king's spaceship landed back on Milisaria, Rowl and his followers struck. The king and his knights were ready, and the fight began. King Siefer came close to death after he was struck down by a traitor, one of his own knights. Queen Destiney killed Rowl, and the traitors were all executed. The villages were reorganized, and the king set out to change the way Milisaria was ruled.
The Milisarians reminded Valeri of Earth. They were so much like humans in looks and as well as government. They fascinated her, and she could well imagine them as friends.
Valeri had a bad feeling about all of this information. There was far too much on the intelligent life of each planet and nothing on the lesser beings. Were the experiments actually being done on the species she had been reading about? Sadly, it would make sense. The DNA of these aliens would be more useful in finding cures for human illness than a sub-species. She just hated the fact that such actions were necessary. Perhaps, these subjects had volunteered for the program. Maybe the information was being shared with the
ir planets, helping each of their species as well as humans. Valeri was determined to find out.
Valeri went to the monitor and buzzed her father's office. Reginald's face appeared on screen within seconds. He asked, "Why are you still here? It's way past time for you to go home for the day."
Valeri answered, "I got really engrossed in the information on the alien planets. It was so fascinating. Some of it was like a history lesson, and other parts resembled an excellent movie. I felt a kinship with the Milisarians. They are practically human. Their queen truly is a human female. I just wondered where the rest of the information was. Can you tell me?"
Reginald replied, "What more could you possibly need? Everything we have learned is either in those files or the scientific data which you will get access to tomorrow. You will get the security code to the computers in the morning."
"Then my suspicions are right. We are experimenting on the intelligent inhabitants of these planets, not the sub-species." Valeri had to wait several soundless seconds for a reply.
Reginald sighed, "What good would it do to experiment on worms and bugs? We need cures for humans, not creatures. I thought you already understood that."
Valeri nodded and said, "I guess I did. I just didn't want to let myself believe it. It seems so wrong to use them that way, especially the Milisarians. Couldn't Alexis, the scientist that is on Milisaria, give us all the information we need?"
"That woman wasn't there when this started. There is so much that we have learned from our subject already. I doubt that she has experimented on those creatures. They are her neighbors now. She sees herself as one of them, not a human."
Valeri was appalled. "They're not creatures! The Milisarians are people much like us. They have fallen in love and married human women. They even have children. They have a king and councilmen. They trade with Earth. I've met some when they came to trade. They are very handsome men. Alexis has to know a lot about the Milisarians. She had to experiment to find a way to save herself and her daughter."
Reginald said, "I find it repulsive that a human woman would lower herself to mate with an alien and that you would find them attractive. I would, however, like to get my hands on one of those children. They could prove useful in these experiments."
"Dad! I can't believe you feel that way. The Milisarian Knights are far better husbands than many of Earth's men. Their children are to be cherished, not experimented on. Besides, these children are only three, not old enough to volunteer for our program." Valeri was getting angry. Her dad's attitude toward the aliens was almost evil.
Reginald laughed, "Who said anything about volunteering? The others didn't. They were taken." He shut off his monitor and left Valeri shocked and speechless.
Chapter 3:
Valeri shoved the computer aside and turned to address the nurse. "You want me to follow you to the observation room? You mean I finally get to catch a glimpse of the subjects? Lead on. I've wasted enough time logging data and sorting mail." She jumped off the stool, straightened her lab coat, and ran her fingers through the tangles in her long hair. She hadn't bothered pulling it back. No one around here took her seriously anyway. She might as well be herself and relax.
The nurse led Valeri through the complicated twists and turns of the lab facilities. She used her handprints to gain access to the restricted area that Valeri had never been allowed to enter. They went through two more doors that required number codes for entry and finally stopped in front of a wall of darkened windows. The nurse touched a series of buttons, and the first window lit up.
Valeri's first sight of the alien made her gasp. She was simply gorgeous. Her femininity was quite evident. Her voluptuous curves rivaled those of any movie star. The ebony, marble-like skin shone in the bright lights. As Valeri watched, a lightning storm raced over the female's body. So, this was the alien from Voltuni. Her silver hair hung in waves past her tiny waist. It swung back and forth as the female paced the small room. Valeri didn't blame her for pacing. The only furniture was a metal bed and chair. They both would be uncomfortable to sit on.
The nurse spoke up, "I know the room looks stark, but we tried to make it homey at first. She had a lovely bed and comfortable chairs. There was a wooden table for meals and even a television. The pillows and soft bedding were the first to go up in flames. After the next experiment, she set the wooden table on fire and zapped the television. She's only been here for six months and has destroyed dozens of televisions and beds. The metal bed and chair she now has are the only things she hasn't tried to burn."
Valeri was saddened by the beautiful alien's situation. The things a human found comforting clearly made the female upset, so she destroyed them. "What about energy? I read that the Voltunis drew their electrical energy from the planet in order to survive. Where does she get it now?"
The nurse pointed to the floor of the Voltuni's room. "Watch the floor as she walks." With each step, the floor lit up with bolts of lightning. "We can control the amount of energy she gets through this console. If she begins to get feisty, we lower the energy, and she settles down. She is very stubborn, and we have learned very little in the time she has been with us."
The Voltuni's window darkened, and the next lit up. The soft, kind face of an Arkani male filled the window. He was peering out of his room with a lost expression. He was tall and thin. Valeri had expected the thinness, but the height was a surprise. She had imagined the intelligent Arkani to be small in stature. His wings were delicate and iridescent. His room was at least a more comfortable place than the Voltuni's. It was painted a pale blue and had a large hammock style bed. There were rugs of soft wool, a table and chairs, and a television mounted on the wall. A shelf of books stood beside the bed. One thick book was face down on the hammock. The Arkani apparently preferred reading over watching television. On the table were several dishes. Some contained a paste that Valeri assumed was the nutritional choice of the Arkani, yet others held more human choices. The noodles, salad, and chocolate cake were untouched.
The nurse noticed Valeri's frown and said, "We keep trying to find something he will eat, but so far nothing appeals to him. He eats only a little of the nutritional paste each day. The scientists believe it is his gentle way of protesting against captivity. He has been with us for two years. During that time, he has been a model subject, very cooperative. He even gave us the formulas for many medications."
Valeri felt that his willingness to give so much information should have warranted his release. She would have to ask, or maybe beg for his freedom. He didn't look well, and she doubted he would last too much longer on such little food.
She turned to the third window as it cleared. At first glance, Valeri saw nothing except a pool-sized glass container of dampened sand. Then the sand began to move. A beige lizard of human proportions rose from its depths. It walked on two legs to the television and turned it on. He sat down on the sand and watched a Godzilla movie as his tongue darted in and out of the sandpit. He seemed to be laughing at the movie and shaking his head in disgust.
The nurse explained, "The Reptilarians find human perceptions of large lizards to be quite amusing. He is especially fond of making jokes about Godzilla. He really gets a kick out of the actor's mouths being out of sync with the soundtrack and what he refers to as the monster's pathetic roar. It's harmless, so I indulge him whenever possible. I think his sense of humor is what keeps the experiments from destroying him."
The man in the last window took Valeri's breath away. The Milisarian Knight was magnificent. His height and muscularity were in perfect proportion. His long black hair was so shiny it made her think of silk. The angles of his face were beautiful to behold and his eyes of the deepest gray shone with a fierce determination. He was dressed in tight black denim pants and a t-shirt that clung to his magnificent chest. Extra openings had been made to accommodate the second pair of muscle-bound arms. He was much younger than the knights Valeri had previously met. He appeared ready to do battle and yet Valeri sensed that he
was not well. There was a slight tinge of gray to his skin that shouldn't be there. His room looked like any single man's dwelling. The large bed was unmade, a stack of dirty laundry was in the corner, and the television was tuned to a war drama. Of course, he was a warrior; she didn't expect him to be watching cartoons. He turned to the camera and stared unblinking. He knew they were watching. She felt that he could see straight into her soul.
A door in the wall of the knight's room slid open. One of the scientists gestured for the knight to come with him. The warrior snarled but obediently left the room. Valeri guessed it was experiment time. The nurse acknowledged her unasked question and said, "I am to take you in for today's experiments. You will be helping with the Arkani male."
Valeri was sent through a series of decontamination pods and dressed in a white protective suit before she was let into the actual lab arena. The scientists didn't want their experiments to be tainted with any germs Valeri might bring into the unit. She was given a small handheld computer to keep her notes in and led to the Arkani's station. He reached out to shake her hand as he said, "Welcome. You are new. I am pleased to see such a lovely young face. I am called Akeila."
Valeri held the soft, gentle hand in hers and replied, "I am Valeri Cavanaugh. I understand you have been very helpful to us. Thank you for your generosity with the medicinal formulas."
Akeila replied, "Ah, I had high hopes that the information would free me. It did not, yet I am glad it was a help to someone. According to your name, I would assume you to be part of Mr. Reginald's family line. You look much kinder than he."
"I am his daughter. I hope that in some way I can make these experiments more palatable for you." Valeri leaned closer and whispered, "You have done enough, and I agree you should be allowed to go home soon. I will do what I can to hurry it along." Before Akeila could answer, the scientist arrived.
