Zern

by Stella Sky

  "No, you have it all wrong! This Corillion warrior was returning me. He comes on friendly terms to leave me and then return home!” she shouted.

  "I am sure that is what he told you!” the soldier said as he pulled Karissa out of the vehicle and then pulled her away from me.

  "Karissa…” I whispered.

  "Get out of the vehicle with your hands above your head!” the soldier shouted at me as several guns were aimed at me. I did as I was told. I knew there was no reasoning at this moment, and resistance would make this situation worse. It was best to let Karissa explain the situation to a higher authority. That is what would be done in the Corillion galaxy, and I knew that Earth obviously had a hierarchy as well. She would speak of my sacrifice to return her and how dangerous it was because she was a fugitive in my land, a wanted murderer. So I put my hands above my head and let the soldiers lead me away back to their lunar moon base. I was put into a prison cell to await my fate; I knew that at any moment, Karissa would be visiting me to tell me what was going to happen to me, that she had cleared my name and I would be able to return home. Or so I hoped.

  I sat in the cell waiting. I didn't know how much time had passed, but the Earthlings fed me. I’d had five meals so far, and to me, that meant it had been at least two days since I was captured. Karissa had not visited me, and I knew nothing of what was going on outside of my cell. The guards did not speak around me, not even to each other. They were very tightlipped. But they did not mess with me either, which was refreshing. I began to think that I was on my own here. I couldn't rely on Karissa to get me out of here. Maybe she didn't plead for my release. Maybe she was fine with my capture; she was an enemy agent, after all.

  These thoughts of betrayal by her started to make more and more sense the longer that I stayed in the prison cell. My paranoia was growing strong. I was going to be left here to rot.

  "Corillion warrior!” a guard yelled as he came to the cell door accompanied by five other guards with their guns pointed at me. I stood up but remained silent.

  "You are coming with us,” he said to me.

  Was this Karissa's doing? Had she arranged this? Was I about to be led to a stealth path to help me escape? If so, I needed to be ready. I quietly stretched my limbs as they opened the door.

  But I couldn't have been further from what was actually happening.

  "This way. You're going to love this,” the guard said as he waited for me to walk out of the cell. I followed one guard in front of me while the rest guarded me from behind. I was led to a stairway that led down into some sort of basement. Was I going on an underground path to a ship?

  But when I walked into the room, I saw exactly what it was. There were many chains and torture devices. I was going to be questioned, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

  Chapter 7

  KARISSA LANE

  I really did think the plan would work. But I had no way of knowing what had happened on the lunar base since I had left. There had been a major change, and that change came with tougher tactics and a broader sense of security. Working on the lunar base as an agent, I knew what areas were protected as in the one on the base new. So when Kai told me his plan and how he got me the first time, I was shocked that such a simple tactic would work. It was so simple that no one on the lunar base thought anyone would try such a thing, so it was not an area that was covered. So because of our stupidity, Kai was able to get in and get out, easily taking me along with him. So it seemed like it would work again a second time, but this time there was a major difference.

  "Agent Lane, this is Commander Cook, he is the new commander on the base,” my superior agent, Mickey, said to me as I walked into the office.

  "Agent, are you hurt? Did she go to medic?" the commander said to agent Mickey.

  "I am perfectly fine. I am not hurt. I could use a change of clothes, however,” I said, standing there feeling very naked.

  "Of course,” the commander said as he nodded to one of his assistants and they left to get clothes for me.

  "Agent Lane, I have taken over command of the lunar base. When you left, Commander Ricks was in charge. That is when you were taken, because of his sloppy work. I was brought in to make the lunar base a tighter facility. Judging from the fact that you're standing here now, I think it has worked. Tell me, what was going on there when we found you on the outskirts of base?” he asked.

  "It is not as it seems. The Corillion warrior was bringing me back to the lunar base of his own will. He is going against his own Corillion tribe to do so and risking much. His plan was to return me quietly and then return home himself. I hope that you will still give him leave to do so,” I said to him.

  "Why would a Corillion warrior willingly return you to your moon base? You are a prized possession to them. This does not make sense. Please explain, Agent Lane," Commander Cook said.

  "He helped me to escape after I murdered a Corillion leader. I am a wanted fugitive now in the Corillion galaxy. This Corillion warrior helped me to escape certain death,” I said to them.

  Commander Cook laughed and said, “You did what? Good for you, Agent!”

  "I didn't do it for fun, Commander Cook. The man was going to take me without my permission. I did what I had to do. But in doing so, I am now wanted by the Corillion galaxy. The Corillion warrior that you captured was helping me to return quietly to the moon base. I owe him my life, and I would think that we could reward him by giving him his,” I said.

  "Do you know how we captured you with him?” Commander Cook asked.

  "No,” I said.

  "When you were captured, I was hired to analyze the defenses of the lunar base and I found many holes. The entire outside area of the base was not patrolled; now it is. We have various trigger wires set up to let us know of any activity. We figured out that this was the way the Corillion entered the base in the first place and took you. We weren't going to let that happen again. It is a treat to have you returned to us; we thought we would never see you again. But because of your disappearance, the base is now stronger, so we have you to thank for it,” Commander Cook said.

  "I am glad my disappearance helped the E.I.A. in such away. I am glad to be home,” I said.

  "Yes, it is a rare advantage for us to have a female that has seen much of the Corillion systems to return to us. Especially one that is trained with the E.I.A. Your knowledge is now invaluable. I will expect a full report once you are settled in. I want to know everything of what you saw and I want to know where you were taken. I want to know the name and tribe of the leader that you assassinated. In truth, we could turn this around and say that we planned it this way ourselves. Imagine what that would do to the Earth and Corillion relations in this war,” Commander Cook said.

  "Yes, if the punishment for taking a human female from Earth is that the human female will then assassinate the Corillion that they are taken to, that might stop the Corillion from taking females all together. I think you may have stumbled on a solution for us accidentally, Agent Lane,” Mickey said.

  "But that's not what I meant to happen. I wasn't doing my duty as an agent. I was just protecting myself. Thankfully I am trained; many women are not and are defenseless against the Corillion that are nearly three times their size.”

  "Yes, we should start a training program to teach the females all over the world to defend themselves against the Corillion. Now that you have left the Corillion with a taste of what a femme fatale can do, it could be the start of a revolution, and an end to this war,” Commander Cook said.

  "And what of the Corillion warrior you captured. Will he be let free?” I asked.

  Commander Cook and Agent Mickey looked at each other for a silent pause, and then they both burst into laughter.

  "Absolutely not. He will be kept here, never to be released. He is a prisoner of war. That will be all for now, Agent Lane. Get settled in, shower, change, and eat," Commander Cook said as he walked out of the office.

  "But… !" I shouted after him, But agent Micke
y grabbed my arm and stopped me.

  "Don't agent Lane. You don't know Commander Cook like I do. He is ruthless,” he said to me.

  "What is going to happen to the Corillion warrior?” I asked.

  "Your old bunk room is ready for you. Let me know when you have those reports done. Welcome home, Agent Lane,” he said.

  I stood there completely pissed off. He didn't bother to answer my question. I don't care if there was a new commander in charge. Treating Kai badly was wrong. He was only returning me, and he should be let go. I needed to take this up with the higher command. I needed to speak to the Earth Council, but I did not have direct access to them. I would have to figure something out. For now, I needed to shower and change. It would be a welcomed sight to sleep in my own bed again. I needed to gather my thoughts and focus in order to figure out how to get Captain Kai Spornium out of here.

  I made my way out of the office complex and towards the showers. As I was rounding the corner, I overheard two men talking. I heard my name, Agent Lane. I stopped walking and leaned against the wall, quietly peeking around the corner. I saw Commander Cook and agent Mickey whispering about me.

  "Do you think she's telling the truth?” Commander Cook asked him.

  "Hard to tell. Agent Lane has never gave me reason to doubt her before. She is always been a good agent, very trustworthy,” Agent Mickey responded.

  "She seems very eager to save that Corillion warriors life. It's possible they have had relations,” Commander Cook said.

  "Yes, it is, considering that is what the Corillion warrior is after. They’re after it so much as to cause a war with the Earth.”

  "Do you think she is now a double agent?" Commander Cook asked.

  "Do you mean an agent for the Corillion?”

  "Yes. She has been gone enough time to have been turned. She could be here gathering data and be an inside person for the Corillion intelligence,” Commander Cook said.

  "I guess that isn't a far stretch. I will keep an eye on her,” Agent Mickey said.

  "Good, keep me posted. I am going to see to gathering as much information off of the warrior’s ship and databases. Then we will get answers from the warrior himself,” Commander Cook said.

  "Yes, sir,” Agent Mickey said as they saluted each other and went on their ways. I quickly made it to the showers. I now knew that I had to act normal and do everything routine. I was going to be watched. They did not trust me. They thought I was a double agent, or could be. Now I would not be able to go to the Earth Council. They would definitely think I was up to something. I had to figure out another way.

  I settled into my bunk and found comfort in my possessions. There were pictures of my parents and a few from college. It was comforting and felt like a lifetime ago. I had now lived an adventure that I could not live down. I had been to another galaxy. I had killed in another galaxy. I was I wanted criminal by the Corillion race. And more than that, I had been with Captain Kai Spornium, and it woke something inside of me that I was not wanting to admit to myself. I missed him. I missed our banter together. I missed being on an adventure with him. I missed looking at his strong, tall alien warrior body. And of course, now I missed him being inside of me.

  "Shit, Karissa," I whispered to myself. “You have it bad.”

  This meant that I really had to do something to get him out of there. I didn't know what Agent Mickey meant about Commander Cook being ruthless, but I knew that it could not be good for Kai. I couldn't rely on pleading my case to the Earth Council; instead, I had to come up with my own discrete to plan to get him out of here, and it wasn't going to be easy. Commander Cook said that they had reinforced the base after I left and this meant that no ground was left uncovered. I was going to have to be very resourceful. It would be the only way.

  The next morning, after getting some rest and trying to blend in back into the routine, I made my way to the working stations.

  "Agent Lane, good morning. Do you feel rested and settled?” Agent Mickey asked me as I entered the workstation.

  "Yes, sir. I have come to start on the reports that Commander Cook requested of me. I do not want to disappoint him. Always a good thing to be on the good side of a new commander; don't you agree?” I said with a big smile.

  "Yes, I agree. That's the spirit. Take to your workstation and get started,” he said, smiling at me.

  I smiled and got to work. I began to write a report on everything that had happened from the moment I was taken from the lunar base. I left nothing out. I even provided very simple information about Corillion technology that I had witnessed. If I intentionally left it out, then it would look bad on my part; it would support their theory that I was a double agent. So I had to put it in, but maybe I left a few extra details out. But more importantly, I was doing surveillance with my eyes and ears. I couldn't use the workstation to search the database for architectural plans of the lunar base without them finding out. But I could sit there and listen to other agents speak about what was going on, including what was happening to Kai. Only then could I devise a plan to get him out.

  Chapter 8

  CAPTAIN KAI SPORNIUM

  I was pissed that Karissa had not come to me. Even if she could not through permission of her higher officers, I knew that she was resourceful enough to figure out a way on her own. She was the woman that had single-handedly killed a leader of the Corillion three times her size all by herself. So I knew she could figure out how to get to me if she wanted to. Now I discovered that she did not want to at all; no, it's what I was being told.

  There I was, strapped to a wall, my arms high over my head wrapped in chains, and my ankles chained to the ground.

  "Tell me what you know about any future raids the Corillion have planned. Raids on Earth, on the lunar base, and on our ships out in space,” the man that had introduced himself as Commander Cook said as he walked back-and-forth in front of me with a whip in his hand.

  "I will tell you nothing, as I have told you before,” I spit the words out at him.

  Whack! The whip struck my flesh. They knew exactly what side to hit on too; they hit on the side without the protection of scales.

  "There's no reason to keep quiet. You are not betraying your race. You will not be returning to them, so no one will ever find out. Agent Karissa Lane has already told us that you were the one that took her from the base. She told us that you were returning her only so that you could gather intelligence on the weak spots of the base for the next Corillion attack,” the commander said.

  I narrowed my eyes at him and sneered out the words, “She said no such thing because that was not the plan. I was simply to return her and leave. That was the only reason why I came here. Why else would I come here alone? It is a death mission.”

  "Do not lie to us. We already know your true purpose in being here; Karissa wrote it in her report before she left for Earth,” the commander said.

  My eyes grew wide. She had left? She had gone to Earth? Why? This meant that she was not going to come to me, not even to visit me. She had abandoned me. My blood boiled and I filled with anger, and I had no reason to. She did not owe me anything. I was the one that showed her everything. I was the one that had taken her from her home and did her wrong. Then she repaid me by saving my life, so why was I filled with rage now as the commander looked at me with a smirk on his face.

  "Oh, were you expecting her to come to you? Tell me, did you have relations with Karissa Lane?" he asked.

  "If you're going to kill me, then kill me,” I angrily said.

  "Oh, we're not going to kill you. We are just getting started. And the fact that you avoided the last question let me know that the answer is yes. I don't blame you. I wouldn't mind getting into that myself. Maybe when I see her again, I will. We will continue tomorrow,” Commander Cook said as he whipped me one more time and then called it a day. They left me tied up there, fuming.

  I struggled angrily to get out of the chains. I was so mad that I could kill someone, a human. I was angry th
at they were torturing me when I had come in peace and planned to leave in peace. I was angry that the commander was so casual about torture. I was angry that Karissa had left me. She had gone to Earth and probably happy to leave this all behind her. I had got her home and then she washed her hands of me. It had been stupid of me to hope to see her again. I was her enemy.

  Was the commander telling the truth? Had she turned over all the information about me as a true spy would? I should never have stopped thinking of her as the enemy. She knew too much. I was betraying the Corillion race by being so casual and letting my guard down around her. It only allowed her to gather a lot of intelligence. Especially after she told me what her profession was, I should've locked her up then, but I didn't.

  Instead, I showed her how to fly the ship; I felt stupid for that now. She had handed over all the information to the commander, and they would use it against us, the Corillion.

  The commander said that Karissa told him I was returning her to the base so that I could gather intel on the base for a future raid. Why would she tell him that? Maybe she did want to see me locked up. If I returned to the Corillion galaxy, they would find out that I had helped her escape back to the moon base and maybe she was just protecting herself by not allowing me to return at all. She was thinking of herself just like a spy would. She was trained and she was doing what she was told; why did I think anything more of it? She was the enemy.