by Anna Carven
The Xargek stared at Kalan with pure hatred in its eyes as he moved back against the opposite wall, grabbing a metal railing as the ship completed its re-entry to Earth. It was quiet now, save for a faint clicking sound as it endured the burn.
“That’s what you get for following us, red-stripe,” Kalan grunted, as he sheathed his swords behind him, slipping them into a pair of exo-sheaths that were part of his armor. “Thanks for returning my swords, though.”
He could always get a new pair, but he was quite attached to these particular blades.
They were just the right weight and length for his style of fighting.
Kalan gritted his teeth in pain as the roar coming from outside the cabin started to lessen. His nanites were at work again, repairing the damage to his body, momentarily weakening the exo-structure of his armor.
Xargek were the only beings in the Universe that could inflict this kind of damage on a First Division warrior.
Kalan was glad Jia didn’t get to see him like this. He didn’t want her to worry about a thing, and he especially didn’t want her to fuss over him.
Ah, Kaiin’s Hells. He was kidding himself. He liked it when she fussed over him.
It made him feel worthy.
Gravity was back now, and their speed was starting to drop. As far as atmospheric entries went, this one hadn’t actually been so bad.
But perhaps that’s because Kalan had been distracted.
His comm buzzed to life. “Hey, Kal, you still alive?” It was Lodan.
“Yeah,” Kalan grunted. “The Xargek’s half-dead, but I’m okay.”
“As ever. You want to hear the update?”
“What’s news?”
“We’re officially in Planet Earth’s atmosphere. We’re about ten-thousand Universal karns off the ground, dropping fast. Also, I think we’re being followed. Those Human fighters didn’t follow us in from space, but something else is showing up on the monitors, but it’s not clearly identified. I’m guessing it’s Human. They might be using cloaking technology.”
“Can we shake them?”
“Usually, I’d try, but we’ve burnt through too much of our fuel, and something’s wrong with the thrust reversers. Even if we shook them, I wouldn’t be able to get the thing to slow down for landing.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“At some point or other, we’re going to have to eject.”
Kalan cursed. “Are we over water, or land?”
“Water, Kal. Plenty of water. It goes on and on and on. Over half the surface of this damn planet is water.”
Kalan cursed again. “What eject facilities does this craft have?”
“Hang on, let me ask the Humans.”
There was babbling in the background for a moment, as Lodan spoke with the mercenaries.
“They have five devices called parachutes, which are similar to our korsaks.”
“And there are seven of us, if we’re to include the Humans. We could probably survive a drop into water without a korsak, but they won’t.”
“What are you suggesting, brother?”
“Naturally, my Human is getting one. I don’t really care what the others do. Someone’s going to have to share.”
“She’s yours, huh?”
“My mate,” Kalan said proudly. “She is not to be harmed.”
For a moment, Lodan was silent. “Congratulations, Kal,” he said finally. “Of course, you know I’d protect her as if she were my own flesh-and-blood.”
Kalan grunted in a satisfied way, ignoring the dull ache that had settled in his belly. That was how he expressed his gratitude. “So we’re in, Lodan? No more atmospheric burn?”
“We’re done with that.”
“Good. I’m going to finish up some business here. I’ll join you shortly. Tell Nythian to round up those eject packs, those parachutes, and distribute them as he sees fit. One must go to my mate. I don’t care what you do with the others.”
“Got it.”
Kalan terminated the comm and drew his blades again, stalking forward. The Xargek let out a pale imitation of its usual screech, weakly waving its foreclaws at Kalan.
Kalan stared back at it, slammed both of his swords into its head, pulled them out, and stabbed the creature again.
This time, he wanted to make sure the fucking thing was dead.
The Xargek went silent and still, its eyes going blank.
Finally.
Kalan left it wedged in its hole, half burnt to death and half scarred to death, with multiple stab wounds in its head.
That’s what it took to kill an adult Xargek.
He flicked his wrists, whipping the gunk off his dark blades, and slid them back into their sheaths.
It was time to prepare. Because soon, they would be landing on Earth, and he had no doubt there would be scared, confused Humans to deal with on the ground.
If they landed on the ground, and not in one of the vast oceans that covered this planet’s surface.
Kalan wasn’t so good on the diplomacy front.
So he counted himself lucky he had a sweet, charming Human by his side. Jia’s presence would hopefully smooth things over for all of them.
Kalan shook his head. This First Contact shit was always such a pain in the ass.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Until Kalan returned, Jia’s chest felt strange, as if it were being slowly squeezed by a vice. Even though she’d dutifully worn the respirator, not wanting to pass out like she had last time, for some reason, she found it a little hard to breathe.
But when Kalan stepped through the doors of the cockpit, she breathed a little easier.
There he was, looming menacingly, his features set in a dark scowl, his armor damaged in places over his stomach, and his lethal twin swords strapped to his back.
Never had a more welcome sight greeted her.
Jia sighed with relief. He was a vicious fighter, and almost invincible, but she couldn’t help but worry about him, each and every time.
She couldn’t bear to lose him now, not when they’d discovered so much together.
Kalan reached her side and placed a reassuring hand at the back of her neck, giving her a gentle squeeze to let her know all was okay.
Well, mostly okay. Jia couldn’t see much through the forward screen; she had no idea where over Earth they’d ended up, but wherever it was, it was currently night, and the sky was pitch-black.
They were dropping. Her ears popped as they lost altitude, her stomach rolled, and her body rejoiced in the sensation of gravity.
“We have to go,” Kalan said softly, with eyes only for her. Lodan, the pilot, was currently focusing on steering the ship, and the two Human mercenaries were busy freaking out because they hadn’t gotten their parachutes yet. Like her, they were both wearing breathing apparatuses. The Kordolians hadn’t bothered with the things, and the lack of oxygen hadn’t seemed to affect them one bit.
“We’re going to have to jump at some point, aren’t we?”
“Yeah,” Kalan said. “But I’ve got you. I’m with you.”
She was being forced to contemplate jumping out of a speeding cruiser at some crazy altitude into unknown territory below, and for some reason, she wasn’t afraid.
Kalan’s reassuring words helped keep her fear at bay. He was her rock, steady and unshakeable, even in the most extreme conditions.
“Let’s go.” Kalan held out a hand as Jia unstrapped herself from her seat. She began to remove her respirator, but Kalan stayed her hand. “We have to jump, remember? Keep it on, just in case. We’ll be jumping from quite a height, so the air will be thin.”
Jia saw the sense in that, even though the thing was uncomfortable, its straps cutting into the side of her face. She carried the oxygen canister with her as they moved back into the main cabin, where Nythian sat with a stack of parachutes, guarding them vigilantly as the Station Boss tried to bargain with him.
“Just give me a fucking parachute, Kordolian. I don’t thin
k you understand the situation. On Earth, I’m a very important person. I can make your arrival on this planet nice and easy, but that won’t happen if I don’t survive.”
Nythian shrugged. “We never expect anything to be easy. Why should I let you escape, when you were going to abandon your people on the mining station? Those Humans were your responsibility, were they not?”
“Y-you don’t understand. I had no choice.”
Kalan stepped in front of Emin, his face like thunder. “There’s always a choice, Human.” He held up one of the parachutes. Emin reached for it, but Kalan withdrew it from his grasp. “Who was behind the bomb, and who sent those mercenary fighters after us in space? Who wanted us dead before the rest of the Human race could know of our existence?”
Emin paled. Unlike Jia and the two mercenaries, he didn’t wear a respirator, and his breathing was loud and labored. His thick face glistened with sweat, and his small eyes darted about the cabin, searching for a support but finding none.
Kalan took a step forward, reaching for one of his swords. The Station Boss recoiled in fear.
“I- I was only following orders,” Emin whispered. “The Corporation advised me that the station was compromised, and that if we didn’t take action, Earth’s existence would be at threat. I didn’t have anything to do with all this. The Corporation hired the mercenaries, and the Corporation sent the fighters after us. They weren’t willing to allow Fortuna Tau to become the property of the Kordolian Empire, or a base for Kordolian operations. That would have been a disaster for Earth.”
“Killing us would have been a disaster for Earth,” Kalan said mildly. “General Tarak takes the welfare of his soldiers very seriously. Now, do you have a name for me, or is your master simply referred to as ‘the Corporation?’”
“The exact chain of command isn’t known to many,” Emin admitted. “I don’t know who issued the orders. I… don’t really know anything.”
“Of what use are you to me then?” Kalan said coldly. He turned to Jia, who frowned.
“Kalan,” she chided. “He might be a creep, but you can’t just let him perish. I assume you’ll be sharing with me anyway, so just give him one.”
Kalan raised a pale eyebrow. “You would advocate for his safety even after he has betrayed your people?”
“I’d advocate for giving him the same chance to survive as the rest of us. Whether he lives or dies after that is out of our hands, but don’t be the judge, jury and executioner. That’s not how we do things on Earth.”
“I will never understand some things about Humans,” Kalan muttered, as he slammed the parachute into Emin’s chest, causing the man to cough. “Take it, and consider yourself fortunate that your workers are more considerate of you than you are of them. I will find out who was responsible for the kill-order, with or without your help, and when I do, they will pay.”
Emin looked at Kalan with abject fear in his eyes, before regarding Jia with gratitude. “Lady, I’m sorry for-”
She shook her head. “Fuck off, Emin,” she growled. Jia rarely cursed, but Emin’s demeanor made her angry. It was ironic that if it wasn’t for the Kordolians, they wouldn’t have made it off Fortuna Tau at all.
Then again, if it wasn’t for the Kordolians, they wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with.
But if they hadn’t ended up in this mess, Jia wouldn’t have found Kalan.
Kalan tipped his head. He had that look he got when he was listening to something on his comm. He said something in Kordolian and turned to Jia. “It is time.” He picked up one of the parachute packs, studying it with a frown.
Jia recognized the model from her mandatory spaceflight training sessions. “It’s self-deploying,” she informed him. “It’ll open once we drop to the right altitude. All you have to do is strap it on and let gravity take care of the rest.”
“We go together.” Kalan bent his head. “I am not letting you out of my grasp,” he whispered.
Considering they were about to jump into the cold, dark night, Jia didn’t mind that at all.
Kalan removed the swords sheathed at his back and set them aside, a rueful expression crossing his face. “I just got these back,” he muttered regretfully, as he pulled on the parachute pack. “But they are impractical in this situation.”
Remembering her training, Jia reached across and tightened the straps. Once everything was secure, Kalan led her to the rear of the cruiser.
A door was open at the back, and as they entered the rear compartment, Jia’s hair whipped wildly around her face.
It was noisy back here. Jia couldn’t hear anything above the roar of the engines and the rush of the wind. She looked out the door and saw only inky blackness.
This was it. They were really going to jump.
“Let’s get it over with,” she shouted, as Kalan turned towards her. If she spent too much time staring at the void and worrying about what might happen, she’d start to freak out. Sometimes, it was better not to overthink things.
Kalan nodded, drawing her against him. They moved closer to the the door, the cold wind buffeting her as Kalan wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Turn around,” he said. Jia shifted so that her back was against him. He moved his arms so that one was firmly across her chest, and the other was around her waist. His muscular limbs felt immovable and totally secure. “I’ll never let you go,” he whispered, his deep voice cutting through the roar of the wind. “Never.”
Jia nodded. Despite the chill, his warmth seeped into her.
“Are you ready, my love?”
“I’m ready.”
They stepped out into the cold, endless night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
They were falling. It was cold and dark, and Jia couldn’t tell which way was up, and which way was down. She was completely disorientated.
Kalan held her close, his arms immovable as they plummeted into nothingness. Jia closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her respirator supplying her with a constant flow of oxygen. The uncomfortable straps held it firmly in place, and the canister was tucked securely inside her jumpsuit.
She had no idea how high up they were, but she suspected that without it, she might have passed out.
Kalan wrapped his legs around her, shifting so that they went horizontal. The cold air whipped at Jia’s face, and she opened her eyes briefly. She saw nothing and quickly closed them again, as the rushing wind stung something fierce.
Kalan’s grip on her never faltered. He would never, ever falter.
Jia knew that now. And even though they were falling into the unknown, she felt safe, because she knew he would do everything in his power to ensure no harm came to her.
So she fell blindly to Earth, trusting in the impossible Kordolian who held onto her as if he were clinging to life itself.
At some point, she could sense moisture all around them, like cold fog, her face stinging as it was hit by millions of tiny, minuscule pinpricks.
Was that a cloud?
Then they were through, and the air started to become warmer.
Jia was almost relaxed by the time the parachute deployed, yanking them backwards and immediately slowing their descent.
They must have dropped a fair distance, because here the breeze was pleasant and gentle, almost balmy.
“Are you fine, my Jia?” Kalan’s voice was a soft murmur in her ear. They were drifting now, falling into infinity.
“I’m good,” she said, as she pulled the breathing apparatus off her face. She took a deep breath and caught the salty tang of the ocean. “You?”
“Fine, as long as I have you.” He gave her a gentle squeeze. Even when they were in a perilous situation, he could still take her breath away.
“Where are we?”
“There’s a body of water below… an ocean.”
It was warm, so they had to be somewhere close to the equator. It was a starless, moonless night, which told Jia the sky was probably heavy with cloud up above.
“D
o you see any signs of civilization?”
“I saw lights and a small landmass. An island.”
“We’re going to hit the water, aren’t we?”
“We are. Do you know how to swim?”
“Of course. I’ve been swimming since before I could walk.”
“That is good. But even if you couldn’t, it doesn’t matter. I would carry you.” He snuck in a warm, sneaky kiss, planting his lips on her neck just below her ear.
“But what about you? You’re hurt, aren’t you?” Suspicion crept into her voice. He was always acting tough and hiding his wounds. For all she knew, he could be in agony right now.
“My love, compared to what I’ve been through in my wretched life, this is nothing. My only concern is to see that you’re brought safely to land.”
“And what about Nythian and Lodan?”
A chuckle escaped him. “They are First Division warriors, Jia. Like me, they are trained to navigate all kinds of terrain, aquatic or otherwise. We will find one another, and then we will deal with the natives.”
Jia shook her head. “You do the heavy lifting, but leave the natives to me.” She didn’t want Kalan and the others going Full Kordolian on a bunch of helpless island-dwellers.
She could hear the sound of the ocean now. After spending so long on the sterile environment of Fortuna Tau, it was surreal to be landing on Earth like this.
The planet she’d so dearly missed was about to swallow her up.
“Hold me tightly now, Jia. Put your arms around my neck, and curl your legs up around me. I will try to break the impact as much as possible.” He straightened as Jia tightened her legs around him. “When we land, I will have to let you go very briefly as I unclasp this parachute. Otherwise, it will drag us away. Stay afloat and do not fear. I will find you.”
The gentle rush of the ocean became louder, and the briny smell of seawater was strong now.
They came down rather quickly, landing with a splash, Kalan’s feet breaking the surface of the water first. Jia’s body was soon engulfed by the water, and she found herself being dragged beneath the surface.
