by Riley Carver
The guards haul out the cabinet panels—and Zan and Cres. Everything looks mostly like it did before.
Before he leaves, Drax tips my face up. “The guard team who let those animals in are facing a court martial. This team understands that they report to me and me alone.”
He turns to face the lineup of guards. There must be ten of them, and they’re staring straight ahead, awaiting their orders. “Isn’t that right?”
The guards shout “Yes, sir” in unison. In a way, I do feel better. But at the same time, this is the second time that I’ve listened to Drax insist that I’m safe on his ship. I don’t blame him. I know he’s doing everything he can. My mind drifts back to something Peggy told me. She said that until I pair bond with an Alpha, I’ll be basically irresistible to every Alpha I meet. I never got the chance to ask her what that means. Actually, there’s so much we never got to talk about.
I huddle in the corner with my stack of uniforms. I want to keep an eye on the door until Drax comes back. As I sit down, I feel something hard jutting out from under the clothes. It’s that weird cube.
I grab it to move it, and it slips from my grasp. With a pop, it opens. The lid swivels up, and I can tell it’s a screen. Inside is a toy replica of a laser gun that’s tethered to the cube. Well, at least I have something to entertain myself with while I obsess over whether or not my only friend is going to die.
Drax
“Fucking move,” I roar at the Betas at my feet. They scramble to get out of my way as I tear through the control room, dropping the shards of the shattered monitors they’re sweeping up.
The level of damage in here is unacceptable. One of the destroyed consoles was our advanced alert system, and another was our second gunner station. Amiran is going to be pissed.
Why did I decide to smash my way out to get to the Omega? It’s not like Zan and Cres would have killed her, so I can’t pretend it was to obey my directive to bring her to the collection center. No, I think I’m starting to feel too protective of the Omega. Not protective, territorial.
I’m pacing around the wrecked control room grasping at one of my horns when Amiran walks in.
“What happened here?” he asks, his eyes wide.
“Zan and Cres decided that to get to the Omega they should tie me to the monitors.” I gesture at the rubble on the ground. “This is the result of that unwise decision.”
“Is the Omega okay?”
“Yeah, I got there just in time to shoot them off of her.”
“You what?”
“Zan and Cres are dead. And good riddance. They told the guards that I had approved their entry into the Omega’s chamber. Those idiots stood aside and let her get attacked.”
Amiran gets closer to me, and I watch him realize that his gunner terminal was collateral damage.
“You son of an Aveki,” he yells, his gray skin turning red.
“Calm down, Amiran. Don’t take it too hard. We’ll have the repairs complete in the next few days. In the extremely unlikely event that we’re attacked in the meantime, you can use my terminal and be first gunner.”
My words soothe Amiran, and he turns to me grinning.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing,” Amiran says. We both leave it at that, but I know that he senses that there’s much more to the story than what I’m telling him.
I get to work giving everyone their new orders. I’ve pulled some extra soldiers into the control room so that we can make the repairs as soon as possible. Most of them aren’t used to this kind of work, and I spend hours coordinating. The entire time, all I can think of is the Omega.
Finally, it looks like things are under control. The alert system is at 15 percent capacity, and Amiran nods thoughtfully when I ask him to take over for me. I’ve got one last thing to do before I go to her.
I wind my way over to the airlock at the end of the corridor. As I’ve commanded, Zan and Cres’s bodies are waiting for me. My soldiers have stacked them on top of one another.
I slam the button to open the airlock with the palm of my hand. Then I kick both bodies in, close the airlock, and turn two keys at once to open the exterior door. I feel better once they’re sucked out into space like the trash they are.
Kira
Drax is standing outside calling to me. It’s sweet that he doesn’t want to barge in. He must know I’m still on edge. “Come in,” I yell back, surprised at the strength of my own voice. I must be feeling a little stronger now.
Drax comes over to me and laughs. The sound does something to me. I never imagined hearing him be so warm, genuine, and unguarded. “Where did you get that?” he asks, gesturing to my game.
“I found it,” I say without looking up. I want to finish this level. It’s pretty repetitive, but I still managed to get hooked.
Drax squats down and pulls the cube and laser gun gently from my hands. He stows the laser gun inside and closes the lid.
“Hey! I was going to beat that level,” I protest. I’m half-joking, though. With Drax near, all I want to do is curl up next to him and drink in his smell. I hope he touches me. Actually, I kind of feel like I’ll die if he doesn’t. I can’t think of anything else, and for the first time today, I’m not wracked with worry about Peggy.
“It’s not a game, little Omega. It’s a training module. For soldiers. I take it you found it in the cabinet you were hiding in?”
I nod.
“What other secrets are you keeping from me?” he asks as he reaches out to stroke my cheek with the back of his hand.
I shut my eyes and lean into his touch, not even bothering to respond to his question. He laughs again, and I stand and lead him over to my chair. I’ve had a lot of practice messing with the settings by now, so I get it flat with the flick of one switch. I’m starting to get used to the wet slick that covers me anytime Drax is near. I can almost feel how good it will be to take him inside of me again.
I perch on the side of the chair and start to take my shirt off when I feel Drax pull it down, back into place.
“We can’t, Omega. As much as I want to, we can’t. I shouldn’t have the first time. Zan and Cres found out and demanded their turn with you. What happened was my fault, and I won’t put you in danger again.”
My face falls. It never feels great to be rejected, but this is a new low for me. The alien who is biologically programmed to have sex with me is turning me down when we finally have a chance to be alone together. And I’m mad at myself too. I keep planning to tear him a new one, and then every time I get the chance, I completely lose focus.
“Fine,” I say, aiming to sound nonchalant.
Drax tucks me into bed and then crosses the room to stand with his back against the wall. He’s as far from me as he can get.
“I wanted to make sure that you were all right. I should get back to the bridge,” he says, but he doesn’t make a move.
“Or you could stay?” I suggest. “At least talk to me for a while. I’m so worried about Peggy and I’m kinda shaken up from what happened today. Normally, Peggy spends the nights on my floor when I’m scared.”
He sighs like he’s trying to decide what he’s going to do. “What would I talk about?” he asks.
“Tell me what it’s like on Fysi.”
I can hear the fondness in his voice when he responds.
“Every city has creeks and streams running through city center, a whole tangle of them. The farther towns are built around the mountains and volcanoes. Half of the planet is forest. You can hike into the interior and be all by yourself.”
I close my eyes, trying hard to picture it. “That sounds nice.”
“It’s the best planet I’ve ever been to. I know I’m biased, but I’d take Fysi over one of the more cosmopolitan planets any day.”
“Oh yeah? What are those like?”
“There are lots of planets where everyone lives inside of great big structures. They never step foot outside. It makes me sad to think about. The Avekis want to remake Fysi int
o one of those planets where everyone lives indoors in bustling cities. They plan to use up all our resources to make it happen.”
“Why can’t they pick another planet?”
“You ask the right questions, little Omega. The Avekis don’t have an Upper Council or a president; they have an emperor who believes in all the old superstitions. His advisor says it must be Fysi. That’s why he’s waging an intergalactic war—because of a fortune teller. Actually, it reminds me a lot of you Earthborns.”
“Hey! Not all of us are like that,” I protest, my eyes snapping open. “I’m an environmentalist. I mean, I studied environmental science in college. I believe in facts and reason very much, I’ll have you know.”
“Okay, Omega. No need to get wound up. I believe you.”
I can’t tell if he really does. But I remember something more pressing. “Why did you lie to me about Earth? You could have gotten me on the ship by brute force.”
“I was following protocol. And I don’t feel bad in the least. We’ve been preparing our Omega collection strategy for the past three years. Getting you was the final step of my mission.”
“How did you have that much time if you’re at war?” I ask, letting my curiosity distract from my resentment.
“We’re not officially at war yet. Our spies reported to us the moment the Avekis began building their ships. They are formidable soldiers, but their fleet is paltry. Or it was paltry, I should say. It takes several years to build war ships. The main reason I don’t feel bad, though, is that the Avekis will destroy Earth. It’s just a question of when.”
I wish I hadn’t asked. Every time I get information out of these aliens, I regret it. Drax sees me getting upset and clears his throat.
“I don’t understand what you’re feeling, Omega. Tell me.”
“I’m terrified that my family is going to die, Drax! I don’t see how that’s hard to understand. It isn’t fair that your plan to take Omegas puts everyone I love at risk!”
“I don’t understand this nostalgia for the people who made you,” Drax says, and I am stunned speechless for a long while.
“How do you feel about your parents?” I finally ask in a small voice.
“I don’t know them that well. Fysians report to the children’s center at a very young age. We put the good of the planet before individual bonds. The Avekis warmongering only proves that that’s the right approach.”
I’m in no mood to argue with Drax or try to justify my feelings. “I think I’m going to go to sleep now,” I say.
Drax stands and gives me a curt nod.
“One last thing,” I say. “If you’re such a stickler for protocol, why did you sleep with me?”
Drax shrugs and looks into the distance. “That’s a question I don’t have the answer to.”
Chapter 10
Kira
The next day, a Beta I’ve never seen before comes into my room and introduces herself. Cevelii’s lips are always in a tight line. She doesn’t speak unless I initiate a conversation. Otherwise, she stands next to me and stares. I think she’d spend a full day like that. It makes me miss Peggy more than ever.
The good news is that Cevelii is only assigned to me until Peggy recovers. The doctor in the med bay says that Peggy’s going to be almost as good as new. When Cevelii relays this message to me, I break down and weep.
I’m gulping for air I’m crying so hard. Finally, some good news. Cevelii cocks her head and then brings her face inches from mine, watching the tears run down my face as though it’s the most fascinating thing she’s ever seen.
“Can you leave for a while?” I choke out between sobs. Cevelii turns sharply on her heel. “I will return every fifteen minutes to check on you,” she says. I start to protest, but she’s already gone.
Today’s a shower day, so I gather up a clean uniform and get ready to go. The whole time I’m in the shower bay, I think of Drax’s body. It gives me a chill to see the bench where I got naked for him.
After our conversation last night, I think I’m finally starting to understand him a little. He’s not cold and distant because he’s a jerk; he simply has never had a close bond with anyone before. I bite my lip and try to talk myself out of the ideas I’m having.
I’ve always liked men who are aloof. I have this idea that I can be the one to get them to open up and let me in. It’s never worked well with humans before. I can’t imagine why I think an alien commander will be any different.
I sigh and wash my hair fast. My mind turns to the fact that this is an exciting excursion for me. It’s hard not to feel like a captive when something as simple as showering is such a high point.
At the same time, I can tell my feelings have shifted. I feel almost warm toward Drax, even though he was in charge of taking me. Mostly I’m wildly attracted to him. But I think I might care for him a little too. What a weird situation to be in.
I can sense that Cevelii is in the room before she even speaks. “You have three minutes and twenty seconds, Omega,” she says. Then she starts counting down in twenty-second intervals.
I finish up as fast as I can. I think there’s some soap suds between my toes, but I don’t even care. I switch the shower off and glare at Cevelii, who studies my facial expression with confusion.
“When is Peggy going to be released from the med bay?” I ask her.
“The current estimate is two weeks. Of course, healing is unpredictable. It is impossible to know precisely when her recovery will be complete.”
“Uh-huh,” I say. “Can I see her now?”
“Yes, I have instructions directly from the ship’s captain that you may do so.”
I smile and silently thank Drax. Cevelii escorts me to the med bay as soon as I’m dressed, and I’m astonished by what I see there.
Peggy is in what looks like a clear coffin. Her hands are at her sides, palms up. Electrical currents pulse from the coffin lid into her hands. I step closer and turn my head and see that the currents are pulsing into the soles of her feet too.
The room is covered in screens. It looks like they must be showing Peggy’s vitals, but the Fysians use so many more metrics than we do on Earth. Mostly, what surprises me is the med bay isn’t cold or clinical. There are potted plants hanging from the ceiling, and that’s what Peggy sees from her vantage point. The room is bright, almost sunny.
“It’s nice in here, huh?” Peggy’s voice calls from all around me. I startle slightly, and Peggy has turned her head to look at me. “There’s a speaker in here, so whatever I say can be heard throughout the room,” she explains in a gravelly voice. “I can hear you too,” she continues.
“Peggy! I’m so happy you’re okay. I’m really sorry about what happened,” I say, starting to cry. I edge closer to her and put my palm on the glass.”
“Omega, do not touch the equipment,” Cevelii chides.
I start to move my hand when Peggy says, “Attendant Cevelii, you are dismissed for the next hour. There’s no need to check in.”
Cevelii begins to protest, but Peggy cuts her off. “Thank you for your service, attendant. Enjoy your free hour.”
When Cevelii leaves, Peggy giggles weakly. “I’m her superior,” she brags. She raises her large, clawed hand up to meet mine on the other side of the glass. “I’m glad you’re here. Tell me everything I’ve missed.”
I want to keep it light, but I also need her to know the Alphas who shot her will never hurt anyone else. “The soldiers who did this to you have been dealt with.”
Peggy looks serious, and she exhales. “I figured that Drax wouldn’t let anyone get away with attacking you,” she says. Then she smiles mischievously, and I can almost imagine that we’re in my room laughing and gossiping. “After all,” she says, “Drax has a thing for you.”
I immediately deny it. I haven’t fully worked out what’s happening between him and me, but I’ve always understood that it’s forbidden. The Fysians want me to go quietly to the collection center. It’s obvious I’m not suppo
sed to be with anyone on my way there. I’d never want to get Drax in trouble.
I chew my lip, trying to decide how much to share with Peggy. I know I can trust her with my life—that’s obvious from the circumstance we’re in—but I don’t know how loyal she is to all the weird rules about Omegas.
I guess she knows me better than I thought, though. “Your secrets are safe with me,” she winks. The sight of her so cheerful behind the glass or plastic or whatever the aliens use hits me again, harder than when I first saw her. I take a step back and turn around so she doesn’t see me getting upset.
“It’s okay, Kira,” she soothes, always more worried about me than herself. “I’m going to be fine. And I’d do it all again.”
