by Maia Starr
I could feel his body hovering over me, and had to hold my breath to keep from betraying how uncomfortable it made me. He began poking and prodding at my body, sending odd, mixed messages to my brain. I had to fight hard to prevent the unexpected touches from sending arousal signals to my neural pathways. I sighed inwardly. It was all physiological, I reminded myself. It didn’t mean anything.
“All right,” Zerk’k finally said, as if satisfied by my performance. “Do what you’re doing now, and you’ll be fine. I’m going to take the first females out now. There are going to be some strange noises and probably some strange feelings you will experience. Remember, if you are discovered, you will regret it.”
I said nothing in response, which seemed to please him, and I could hear his heavy footfalls descend toward the doorway. I heard a hissing sound and opened my eyes as subtly as possible to watch what he was doing. Each little metal bed could rise individually, levitating in front of Commander Zerk’k. All he had to do was nudge them with his hand and they would move where he led them. It was impressive. If humans had that kind of technology, there was no telling what kind of advances we’d be able to make on Earth.
The process was somewhat tedious, and soon, other Thressl’n joined Zerk’k to help him roll us out of the ship. I was grateful that I had been such a nosy child, and had mastered the art of fake sleeping to eavesdrop on the adults in my life, who always seemed to have such interesting things going on that weren’t for the ears of children.
I had to bite my tongue to keep from gasping out loud when I was finally steered off the ship. The air in my lungs was somehow sweeter than the air on Earth; pure, almost like the fresh mountain air most humans had to travel far to find. The sky was a swirl of colors; mostly gold and light blue, with little wisps of pink here and there. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.
The crew working to wheel us out of the ship were speaking candidly in Thressl’n, which was good news to me. It gave my translation implant a good opportunity to learn more about their speech patterns. Sooner or later, I’d be able to understand everything they said in their native tongue. That would give me an advantage in this strange new world.
Before long, however, my excitement turned to dread. The metal tables with sleeping females were left in a line, presumably to be processed inside an oppressive looking structure with a high cloth roof. There were ten rows of these tent-like buildings, and outside the one I was destined to end up in was a proud looking Thressl’n woman. The first I had ever seen.
Her skin was much paler than the brilliant teal of the Thressl’n men, and her rust-colored hair was tied behind her head and braided. She had a stern looking face and looked down at all the human females in front of her as if they were diseased. Her expression was one of pure contempt, and she handled the limp women roughly; scrubbing them immediately with a soapy substance that was quick to lather. When she was done, we were injected with a clear substance I couldn’t identify and then carted inside the imposing tent. I was not looking forward to my turn.
I had to fight hard not to show my consciousness as her surprisingly strong hands gripped me tightly and lathered me up. The whole process was humiliating, and they didn’t bother to remove our clothing. We all went inside a sopping mess, and I couldn’t help but worry about what could possibly be in the injection that was now coursing through my body.
“Attention!”
My heart pounded hard in my chest as Zerk’k’s musical voice wafted over the loudspeakers in the tent. All activity ceased for a moment as it seemed the whole world stopped to listen to him speak. Apparently he was a big deal here.
“All human females are to immediately be given water. The flight was long, and research indicates it is paramount to their survival. Go now!”
A flurry of activity began as all the women around me were hooked up to IVs and our bodies were given hydration. I really hoped that the Thressl’n knew what they were doing. So far, I wasn’t very confident.
Soon, the four-fingered hands of the Thressl’n were all over our bodies, testing us and taking our vitals. We were being studied closely, and everything about us was recorded. I felt like I was on the other end of a cosmic joke, where the roles were reversed, and now I was the extraterrestrial.
Still, the experience was exciting, and I took note of all I could. And yet, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would take before I could see Commander Zerk’k Arkti again. I had to shake the thought away. I was stuck here because of him. If I ever saw him again, he was going to pay for this.
Chapter 10
Commander Zerk’k Arkti
I watched until the golden-haired human was out of sight, worried about the untold horrors she may experience at the hands of the bitter Thressl’n females who had been charged the task of looking after the humans. Times were hard, indeed, and there were many purists out there, particularly the Thressl’n women, who believed that we would be better off keeping our genetic pool pure.
But that was no longer an option. There was no way that our race would survive if we did. Although I agreed in theory, there was nothing to be done about it.
“Commander, Camp #2 is asking for your assistance. The human females are being subdued, but there is trouble.”
“Of course,” I said, pushing the thoughts of my female out of my head and following Jerd down the path. We stepped inside the tent and I was immediately shocked by the wild-eyed females. The Thressl’n women could hold their own, and the females were mostly subdued, but there was one woman, of ideal physiological stock, who was giving them hell. It would have been impressive had she not been breaking very expensive equipment.
“Stop!” I demanded. She paused for a moment, her wide brown eyes staring into mine. She was attractive, but nowhere near as glamorous as my female.
“Screw you!” she exclaimed.
“Please, calm down. Tell me, what is it you need? We want to make you comfortable here.”
“What I need is to go home!” she exclaimed.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “But right now, that isn’t possible.”
“When will it be possible?!” she exclaimed.
I thought about what Supreme Leader Aloitus had said about an overpopulation of humans on our planet and sighed. Perhaps I could come up with a solution that was good for everybody.
“I will work on it. For now, however, if you do not calm down, you are going to spend the majority of your time on this planet unconscious. Is that what you want?”
Her eyes flashed defiantly. “You have no right to do this.”
“Actually, I have every right. And I am giving you an option. Either you cooperate, or you will face the consequences for insubordination.”
Her chin jutted out, but she seemed to be calming down a bit.
“I am Second in Command,” I told her. “If you cooperate, it is possible I can send some women back to Earth. But if you refuse and continue destroying valuable property, you will remain here indefinitely.”
Her complexion paled, and I walked away from her knowing that my words would be enough to keep her calm.
“How did it go, Commander?” Jerd asked once I ducked out of the tent.
“The situation has been subdued,” I replied.
“That is good news,” Jerd replied.
I nodded, walking away from the tent with a stretch, and my stomach rumbled. This whole trip had been nothing but stressful. Now that I was home, it was time to enjoy a real meal and relax for the first time in far too long.
***
“Welcome back, Commander,” Trillis said, smiling sweetly at me.
“Hello, Trillis,” I said, sitting down at last in my own home.
Trillis had been in my life ever since I was a small boy. She had been appointed to serve me, much like a nanny or a maid. Instead of resenting it, though, she felt honored by the privilege of working for the Second in Command. And it took pressure off of my parents to care for me. They had been doing their part in the effort
to repopulate Jenal’k, and were plagued by several other children who were not blessed with the same privileges I had received upon their birth. My siblings required most of their time and energy, and, even now, most of my paycheck.
“How was your mission?” she asked, placing a steaming hot bowl of my favorite Thressl’n stew in front of me.
“Successful,” I said. “For the most part.”
“Trouble with Aloitus?” Trillis asked, sighing and sitting down across from me.
“Always,” I sighed. “He had me stand up in front of everyone and tell them it was my fault if something bad happened because of the humans.”
“What?” Trillis asked, anger leaking into her aged voice. “He approved the proposal revolutions ago!”
I shrugged. “That’s Aloitus for you.”
“Well, I think you would make a much better Supreme Leader than Aloitus. Rumor is quickly spreading about the last scandal.”
“Oh?”
This made me perk up. If the community at large decided together that Aloitus was too corrupt to maintain his hold on power, then I would be promoted. That meant no more flying.
“Yes, word has gotten out. Someone in a high position at the palace was scorned one too many times, I think, and threatened to come clean about everything. Aloitus wanted to put him in the holding chamber, but a group of rebels helped him go into hiding before Aloitus’ henchmen got to him.”
“Wow, a lot happened while I was gone,” I said, mulling over this new information. It was no wonder Aloitus was being so aggressive about the females. He knew anything that went wrong would look bad and potentially turn the populace against him. Did he really think he wouldn’t deserve that if it happened?
“It was a long time to be out in space,” Trillis said, looking at me knowingly. She was the only person who seemed to understand just how much I despised being out in space for such long stretches of time. I had never told her, but she had been with me since I was a small child. She knew me better than I knew myself in ways.
“Yes,” I said, still feeling embarrassed to speak out loud about my detest for leaving home. “I’m glad to be back.”
“What is Earth like?” she asked, changing the subject.
“It’s dismal,” I said with a short laugh. “But…”
“But?” Trillis asked, raising an eyebrow at me. It wasn’t often that I withheld anything from her. In a way, this kindly older female was my best friend and confidant.
“I met a human female,” I eventually said.
Trillis brightened.
“That’s only natural,” she said, trying to play it cool. “That’s what you went there for.”
But from the way her eyes were sparkling, I knew that she was already guessing what was going on.
“I’ve never seen anybody like her before,” I said. The powerful surge of longing I’d felt simply laying eyes on her the first time had been overwhelming. And now, I couldn’t go five minutes without fighting thoughts of her out of my head. And I still didn’t really know her name. Doctor was only a title. I hadn’t thought to ask while she was coherent. Things had just moved so quickly.
“What is she like?” Trillis asked, pouring me a cup of hot flek.
“She’s…beautiful,” was all I could say.
“You know, you have the right to claim whichever female you like,” Trillis said. “You never use your status the way you should. You could claim her right now, and nobody would be able to stop you. Even Aloitus would shrug it off.”
It was true. I hadn’t thought of that before. Trillis’ eyes sparkled as I scarfed my meal down as quickly as I could and rose from the table.
“Thanks, Trillis,” I said, bowing deeply to her. She gave me a shorter, graceful bow in return, and I could hear her tinkling laughter as I left.
***
“Understood, sir,” the Thressl’n female in charge stepped aside and allowed me through the entrance of Camp 7, the camp full of the females I had delivered personally. My eyes scanned the long rows of sleeping women and immediately fell on the golden-haired human who had consumed my thoughts for so long.
“Rise,” I said, standing over her.
Desire raced through me when her clear eyes settled upon me, and her full lips settled into a pout.
“Why?” she asked, refusing to budge.
“Do you really want to challenge me?” I asked, fixing a stern look on her. I was surprised at myself. It was so natural for me to treat her the way Thressl’n men treated the women they were mated to for years.
She didn’t speak and rose from the small metal bed.
“You know, it’s cold in here,” she said to me, raising her arms in the air and stretching deeply. My eyes wandered the curves of her body, sparks of desire igniting deep inside of me. “You should get these girls some blankets.”
“Of course,” I said, frowning. It was strange to be dealing with such heavily water-based creatures. The Thressl’n didn’t have issues with body temperature regulation unless we were sick, but humans were so fragile. Maybe it really was a mistake to combine our genetics. But what choice was there?
“Where are we going?” the human asked.
“What is your name?” I said, without answering. How was I to tell her that she was my chosen mate? I had a strong feeling this wouldn’t go over well, and I wanted to save the dramatics for the privacy of my own home.
“Lain,” she said begrudgingly. “Dr. Lain Brousseau. But just call me Lain. Do I just call you Zerk’k?”
“Well I suppose it would be silly for you to call me Commander Arkti,” I said. “So yes.”
“All right,” she said, fixing her eyes forward. I led her to my modest hovercraft and waited for her to step inside.
“What is that thing?” she asked. I could almost hear the gears in her head turning as she walked a circle around my vehicle. Her hand flickered toward her back pocket, but she seemed to think better of it.
“Get in,” I said. I didn’t have the patience for small talk. For a female, she asked a lot of questions. Weren’t humans ever taught to know their place? She was exceptionally rude. And yet I couldn’t help but find it oddly charming.
She waited to observe me get into the driver’s seat of the vehicle before following suit.
“Just because I’m going with you doesn’t mean I like you,” she said, as soon as the doors closed and we were left in the quiet, intimate atmosphere of the craft.
“It doesn’t matter whether you like me or not,” I said, though I couldn’t help but be stung by her words. “You are on this planet for one purpose. And if you don’t serve that purpose, you are going to suffer immensely.”
Lain glowered out the window and crossed her arms over her breasts. I took the chance to study her more closely. Now that we weren’t pressed for time, it was easier for me to take in all the details of her face.
Her neck was long, and her skin a pleasant pink color that was uncommon on the planet Jenal’k. Her lips and cheeks were a much darker, more sensual red, particularly when she was angry, as she was now. And her body, though tiny in comparison to the highly muscular Thressl’n race, was soft and supple. It awakened desires in me I didn’t know I was capable of.
We were both lost in thought for the rest of the ride, until I stopped the hovercraft in front of my home. We sat in silence for a moment before I finally spoke.
“This is going to be your home from now on. I expect you to stay out of the way and to make yourself comfortable. Now follow me; I’ll show you where you’ll sleep.”
Lain glared fiercely at me before hopping out of the vehicle. I sighed. This might not end up being as easy as I thought it would be.
“Oh, hello,” Trillis said, her eyes wide as she took in the human female. She bowed at Lain, and Lain hesitated for a moment before bowing back awkwardly. The way she bowed was wildly improper, and both Trillis and I had to fight to keep from laughing. It was a sweet gesture though, and we both appreciated it.
“
Trillis, this is Dr. Lain Brousseau. Lain, Trillis is here every day. Her apartment is upstairs if you ever need anything while I’m away. Trillis, I expect you to take care of her as you’d take care of me.”
“Of course, Commander,” Trillis said, her eyes sparkling. I think both of us knew that my interest in this female went beyond breeding purposes. But convincing the human of that would be another story.
“It’s nice to meet you, Trillis,” Lain said. Trillis laughed in delight.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lain,” she repeated carefully.
Trillis glanced up at me, and it was clear we were both thinking the same thing: this was going to be interesting.
Chapter 11
Dr. Lain Brousseau
I followed behind Zerk’k, staring at his broad, muscular back as he led the way through his home. It was fascinating to see the layout of the structure. It was similar architecturally to ancient Japanese building structures, but the appliances inside were far different from anything one could find on Earth. It was clear I was dealing with a very advanced civilization.
“This is the washing room,” Zerk’k said, leading me down a very narrow hallway. I peered inside the room and frowned when I didn’t see what I was used to seeing in the bathrooms back home. “Don’t worry, I’ll ask Trillis to show you how it works. I’m sure you’re more comfortable with other females in that regard.”
I refused to answer. Why was I getting this special treatment when “other females,” as Zerk’k called them, were still trapped in the oppressive tents on the other side of the settlement?
Zerk’k didn’t seem perturbed by my silence at all and simply continued the tour.
“This is where I work. You are never to enter this room.” He looked back at me, his metallic purple eyes serious. “Do you understand?”
I wanted to do something extreme, something angry, but as he looked at me, his expression softened.
