by C. Baely
“A spaceship! Lord help me.” Sara breathed slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. She hoped to make some sense out of this weird situation, but things seemed to get even more complicated. Her head throbbed intensely. She needed time to think. She had so many questions to ask, and this little devil before her only managed to confuse her more.
The lurching sensation in her stomach was unbearable, causing a sick feeling to rise within her. Calm down. “What do you need a ninety-year-old grandma from Earth for?” She paused, but then added, “And a dead one at that.”
The small creature eyed her carefully. He moved closer. “You were dead, before we restored you. You are to become a Pradorian mate.” A note of pride was evident in his voice.
“A Pra…what? I don’t even know where I am, or if I’m really here at all and not still dreaming! Oh please, let this be a bad dream,” Sara shouted, her anger and worry beyond words. She lay down, praying to go back to sleep, and hopefully turn this place back into the wonderful dream land where she’d been just a few minutes before, then a thought suddenly crept in her mind, causing her to rise her head quickly. “Wait a minute! If you’re an, erm, alien, then how come I can understand you?”
“You have a translator attached to your eardrum, so you can now understand all the planetary languages. Now hurry please, we are on a very tight schedule!”
She tried to move again, as the little being commanded. This time, to her surprise, the invisible restraints holding her only a second ago were magically gone. She managed to sit.
“I might be able to understand all planetary languages, but how would I speak the languages? Or does every other planet have translators too?” she asked, trying to buy time and figure out a way out of this craziness she had awakened into. None of this made any sense. She was probably still dreaming.
The child like being threateningly raised a poking stick. “You can speak to most other beings, and they will understand you. Most of them know all planetary languages, as they have been around for many years and have acquired the knowledge with time. Not everyone needs translators to understand your kind.” His voice held a superior tone, probably hoping the female would stop asking so many questions.
Sara cocked her head to the side. She stuck a finger into her ear to try and feel around for the translator, but it just felt normal. When she turned her head to jiggle it a bit nothing rattled or shook. It must be small and attached very well, or the figment of an overactive imagination.
The little green creature poked her ribs with his electric rod once more. “You are to be a Pradorian mate, and you will obey! There are creatures older than you will ever be that are in need of compatible females, and because we have the necessary license to harvest Earth’s dead and recycle them, we can make this happen.”
Her head shook as she tried to process what was happening to her. Dead, recycled. Maybe this wasn’t a dream after all. “Wait. Are you telling me that I’m no longer dead?”
The creature’s bored eyes revealed that not only was she right, but they’d gone through this already. Sara was shocked at this revelation and held a hand up. “Just a moment. You have permission to take the dead from Earth? Who gave you that permission?”
His patience tested, the Restorian explained. “Of course we have permission, earthling. We are not criminals. We have provided your earthling governments with various technologies, and in return, they allow us to harvest their dead. They are then used to repopulate other planets that lack compatible mates.”
Sara was outraged, and her fists clenched at her sides. It was beyond comprehension to experience death and then be thrown into a new life of heaven knows what. Was she never to rest? What right did these little creatures have to steal her death away? How dare they! “I want to be returned to my death immediately! I’ve no desire to live again. I‘m old and tired, and I want to rest!”
The little creature stared at her intently and shook his head. “What you wish is not possible, earthling, and you are not old. In fact, you are what your kind calls young, which you will need to be in order to fulfill your duties as a breeding partner for a Pradorian male. I caution you: they will not take kindly to some earthling female rejecting them.”
“Breeding partner? I’m not going to be anyone’s ‘breeding partner’ much less take demands from an alien creature who took me from my peace! And I am not as young as you seem to think.”
With an extremely bored expression, he took a metal plate that was stationed on a table by her bed and held it in front of her. To her surprise, her face looked as vibrant as it had when she was in high school. No discoloration, no wrinkles. Her frayed, white hair was the copper-red color of her youth and long again, reaching down to the middle of her back. Looking down, she saw two young and shapely legs. She reached down to feel them, but stopped halfway as she noticed smooth, supple hands. Her newfound body made her forget all about her death and how it had been taken from her, at least for the time being.
“Incredible. H-how is this possible?” Sara exclaimed quietly, amazed at what she was seeing and feeling.
“It’s our re-youthing process.” The little creature sounded pleased with her reaction. “Now, you must get ready. We are about to land on your new home, so please rise and follow me.” He turned impatiently toward a nearby wall.
“Follow you?” asked Sara, almost absentmindedly, because she was still in shock. There was just so much to take in. It was overwhelming.
She rose slowly from the bed, tentatively testing her legs before following the little green creature. Her eyes widened when a wall moved automatically, shaping an opening for them to pass through. She followed the creature down a long, cold corridor with soft blue lighting, which emitted from the walls even though there were no visible lamps. Soft foot falls fell upon hard, brushed metal that looked smooth and buffed though it didn’t shine whenever light hit it. A strange and amazed feeling of awe slowly welled up inside of Sara as she walked. Yet she couldn’t shake away the thought that all this was wrong, she didn’t belong there. The corridor seemed to wrap around them. Though the floor was solid and flat beneath her, it looked as if it was curling around to seamlessly meet the walls and ceiling, bowing outward around them in a neverending cylinder.
Blinding white light broke through the right side. As the small crack opened, the little green creature passed through the opening. Sara followed behind him, only to stop in astonishment at what she saw. Human women of every type filled the entire room. Some were yelling, while green beings, like the one escorting her, poked at them with long rods. Sara assumed the rods sent shocks throughout their bodies. There were women who sat or leaned against a metal wall and cried, while others stood silently, looking lost, as if trying to understand the predicament they were in. It was clear by the empty, wondering looks in their eyes that they just couldn’t grasp the situation.
All the green beings in the room looked the same to Sara. Aside from subtle differences in their garb, she really couldn’t tell if they were all the same sex or if there were females mixed in somewhere. Maybe they don’t have a sex? How odd.
One of the green creatures handed some odd-looking clothes to a small group of women who were huddled together for moral support. They ordered the women to change into the clothes. When the little creature came up to Sara and handed her the tiny outfit, she shook her head and threw it right back at him.
Otherworldly eyes widened at her action, then narrowed. “You! Put on this garment or punishment will be administered!” snapped the creature, clearly in no mood for uncooperative women.
“Punish me all you like. There is no way I’m wearing that scrap of clothing.” She stared the green alien down stubbornly. If she could have, she would have disintegrated the offending being into dust.
An incredible amount of electricity ran throughout her body raising every hair follicle and stunning every nerve. It left her feeling so numb she could hardly move. Before she knew what was going on, a number of the little creatures ha
d surrounded her and begun tearing off her clothes, replacing them with the flimsy bits of cloth, which consisted of a tiny translucent skirt and an even tinier top.
The next thing she knew, a large wall in front of her formed an opening, and all the women were herded through it toward the planet’s surface.
Chapter 2
At first, Sara held her breath, thinking she would die of suffocation, but after noticing the women around her weren’t fainting, she came to the conclusion that the planet must have a breathable atmosphere. She inhaled the air, somewhat hesitant.
It was dark outside, and shadows danced everywhere around the spaceship, making it hard to see just what was close by. As Sara’s eyes began to adjust, she could make out a line of thick trees surrounding the landing site. It looked like a forest, but something was strange about it. The landscape seemed colorless, almost two dimensional, though that could have been because the sun had set on this new world. A pleasant sensation ran through her, if only for a moment, as the soft warm air hugged and caressed her bare skin. It carried a sweet scent.
A strangled sounding voice ran through the crowd of women, ordering them to move at once into the unknown. Whispers rushed from person to person, further accentuating the worry and grief rising among them. The murmurs earned them another shout from behind, followed by prods, making them feel like cattle being driven to their grim destination.
Sara felt something grip the depths of her stomach as they approached a shallow hill. There was a strange orange light in the distance among the thick trees. Something that sounded like singing or chanting spilled over the rise they were climbing. An eerie monotonous tone that was unfamiliar to her. The gentle swish of the tall, wild grass beneath her feet gave little sound and stood erect almost immediately after it had been trodden upon. She gained comfort from knowing if she had to run, at least she wouldn’t leave many tracks or make a lot of noise for them to follow. Whoever they were, she wasn’t willing to let anyone simply keep her against her will.
At the top, a flat clearing expanded before the ginger crowd, and she saw them for the first time. They looked unearthly and unnatural to her eyes. These tall, muscular, feral-looking beings were gathered in a circle around the same orange light she’d seen earlier. The light appeared to be caged in a warped glass-like triangle placed upon the ground. The unique light looked equivalent to a campfire, but it swirled like a wave through the transparent glass. As the creatures held their attention on the light, it became dimmer and flickered with increasing frequency. Soon after, they all stood, unmoving, making strange guttural sounds like humming from the depths of their throats.
The women stood as still as death, regarding the tall, muscular creatures with despair. Whispers quickly broke out among them, and they quietly tried to move back to the path on which they’d arrived.
“Move!” One of the little green creatures issued orders as the others kept the women under control.
A great sense of foreboding fell over the group as they waited, fear building inside them. The chanting had stopped, and the tall blue aliens turned to look at the newly arrived females. Black stripes covered their muscular bodies. Yellow-flecked eyes stared emotionlessly. Various pointed ears twitched at any sounds the females made. In a way, they reminded Sara of vampires or other mythical creatures she’d read about in fairy tales. One reminded her of a certain troll, only taller, much taller.
One of the little green creatures moved toward the blue-skinned aliens. He bowed to one who wore a long black cloth over his groin. He proudly announced, “We have delivered your mates, Great Vasil. Would you like to choose now?”
The imposing extraterrestrial looked down on the speaker with a hint of dismissal, as if he were nothing more than an ant. Emitting an uncanny growl that brought goosebumps to Sara’s neck, he stepped past the little creature toward the crowd. Most of the women screamed in fear for their lives and tried to back away.
Other tall males followed his lead, imitating his growl, and collecting the unwilling females one by one. Despite their protests, each male picked a female and threw her over his broad shoulders before disappearing into the dark night. Screaming and violence ensued as the women desperately tried to free themselves, hitting their captors in every possible way. The women, whisked like feather pillows from the ground, punched hard against their captor’s backs. Others kicked with all of the strength they could muster. Some even pulled the male aliens’ hair, pushing their bodies forward so they could jump behind them. The scene reminded Sara of a comedy, a drama. One particular woman delivered a bite with her sharp teeth into her captor’s neck. Sara waited for blood to pour down his massive neck.
The males, though, appeared oblivious, to the female’s efforts to escape. When Sara, who stood at the back of the horde, saw what was happening, she reacted quickly and began backing away. Mind racing, she slowly and quietly made her way toward the dark path they had arrived on. As soon as Sara was sure she was out of sight and her departure unnoticed, she turned and ran into the darkness as fast as she could. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew she had to get as far away from those strange creatures as possible.
***
The tiny creature observed in satisfaction, as the last unwilling female was whisked away by her claimant. When it noticed the Great Vasil had been left without a mate, as well as one of the warriors next to him, he began to tremble with anxiety. He looked up nervously at the huge blue Pradorian, knowing what to expect from this famously vicious warrior race.
“My Gr-Great Vasil, I counted exactly 21F. F-for you and your warriors. I don’t understand how we are sh-short 2F.” He worried as he explained. He retreated, but paused when a blue Pradorian stared straight at him.
“2F? You made a mi—,” the warrior began, before noticing a warning glance from Vasil, stopping him mid-speech.
“They are here, Bantam, fleeing,” announced the great Vasil, while turning to the small creature, who trembled at the sound of the Pradorian leader’s cold voice.
“I will order a search for them at once, great one!”
“No.” The Great Vasil growled. Turning to the warrior, he gave a sharp order. “Dar, go after them.” Without hesitation, the warrior disappeared into the dark forest.
The formidable-looking Pradorian returned his attention to the little green creature, his tone imperious. “Leave Pradoria now. Your payment has been loaded onto your vessel. Your business here is concluded.”
The green being bowed once before retreating to his ship without looking back. Meanwhile, the Great Vasil had disappeared into the darkness of the forest just as rapidly and silently as his subordinate.
* * *
Sara ran until her body forced her to stop. Her lungs were on fire from the exertion. Her body felt stiff and threatened to cramp up. This air might be breathable, but it must be thinner than she was used to on Earth, or it wouldn’t be so hard to catch her breath. She leaned on a large, discolored tree trunk and swallowed. There was no way she would survive for long on this planet if she couldn’t escape. She didn’t even know where she was, much less where to go to stay away from those creatures. Sara wondered if those monsters had dispersed by now, then an idea came to her. I could run back to that ship and get them to take me back to Earth. Surely those…whatever they are were gone by now.
Something stirred a few meters to the left, making her tense up. The moonlight helped her see, but the forest canopy kept it too dark to know just what was out there. Sara tried to keep her breathing quiet while she listened intently. Another crunching sound coaxed her into abandoning her resting place on the trunk and preparing her body to run again.
They can’t have reached me so fast. It’s not humanly possible! She tried to calm herself, until she realized… You idiot! They’re not human!
The thought of something finding her caused a ripple of fresh fear to run rampant throughout her body. She looked around for something, anything, to protect herself with. A nearby fallen branch would do.
With two hands grasped tightly around her newfound weapon, Sara prepared to make a stand. She wouldn’t just sit there and wait for them to come and whisk her away. No one would force her to do anything again. She stood ready to fight.
The tall dark bush in front of her moved aside. To her astonishment a small female figure appeared, looking straight at her, with huge green eyes filled with horror.
“Oh my God!” exclaimed the girl, seeming a bit relieved. “You ran, too?”
“Who are you?” Sara threw her branch to the ground, no longer worried about any threat. “Are you okay?”
The young girl leaned forward as she held her chest. “I’m Orora. I thought you were one of them. I was afraid…” She looked as if she were trying to hide her trembling.
Sara breathed a sigh of relief at seeing another human. Indeed, she’d felt the same way. “It’s okay, Orora. I’m Sara, and I’ll be sticking with you until we get out of this place.”
Orora’s once horrified face, and eyes filled with fear and uncertainty, relaxed. She nodded, relief visibly showing. “So…where are we going?”
“I don’t know. I thought I’d try and make it back to the ship. Maybe they’re gone by now, but whatever we do we’d better do it quickly because they must have noticed we’re missing by now.” Sara looked worriedly behind the girl.
Orora agreed, and the two moved off at a quiet yet brisk pace, silently encouraging each other to move faster until they began running again. Everything in the forest looked the same under the moonlight.
Fallen branches were hard to see through the dark foliage. As they ran, Sara noticed between the endless trees another two moons rising eerily above the horizon, bouncing the sun’s rays back to the surface of the planet. The ominous trees they passed seemed to suck up any light the moons offered, causing it to remain almost pitch black under the canopy. Orora stumbled, her foot caught on a thick branch laying before her, her hands out in front of her, getting ready for the impact. A hand reached out and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back into a standing position again. She exhaled in relief, as she smiled up at Sara and continued their run.
