Supernova

by Christine Wright

  Darkness was closing in and the tree line beside me threw shadows across the roadway. Switching on the high beams I didn’t even slow down. This felt too good, like I had wings. I imagined this was what space pilots felt when they hit their top speeds, freedom.

  My airbike roared through another curve, straightened for a long, narrow stretch, turned again. Faster, I demanded every ounce of power he could give me. The vibration of his deep purr was giving me an erection and if I kept this up long enough I’d have to stop briefly to take care of it. No need messing up a perfectly good pair of leather pants. I wasn’t shy, I could drop them for a quick pull then be back up on it until the next break was needed. Grinning, I thought about one long trip that gave me no less than four hard ejaculations. In my head I started planning an even longer journey.

  I never took my eyes off of the roadway yet I somehow managed to completely miss the Roadways Officer until I had screamed past his location. The siren and lights didn’t even surprise me. I knew I had a pretty good chance of out running him on the open roads but he’d probably catch up soon when I reached the city streets. I loved speed but dodging and weaving in and out of traffic was just plain suicidal.

  I coasted to a halt, kicked out the stand and slid off. I hastily rearranged myself through my pants so that the erection was better hidden until I could judge the situation better. Being Xolian and only having male-to-male sex, gave me certain advantages on some planets. If he was gay perhaps he could be persuaded not to give me a ticket if I gave him some attention.

  Removing the goggles I laid them on the seat and reached into my pocket for my identification badge. I’d done this all before. Nonchalantly, I waited for him to exit his vehicle and join me. He was already making use of a laser scanner that checked my body for hidden weapons. As a Xolian I was equipped with self-armoring skin, razor sharp canine teeth and retractable claws but he probably didn’t know that. I would behave as a royal should, but it did feel good knowing I wasn’t helpless out here in the remote areas of the Setarian wilderness.

  “Officer,” I said in way of greeting him cordially. “Here is my identification badge. Further information may be obtained form the Xolian Ambassador if need be.”

  “This should be fine,” the tall, lanky humanoid responded as he flicked his light over my badge, reading it. “You know why I stopped you?”

  “Obviously for speeding,” I replied dryly.

  “Hmmm, yes. In a hurry for some reason?”

  “No, Officer, just felt good, very stimulating.” I gave a stretch so that my jacket lifted enough to show him an outline of my hardened dick. He barely glanced at it. Okay, moving to plan B. “I’ll certainly slow down. I’d appreciate any leniency you might show.”

  As his data pad brought up more information about me onto its screen, his thin, lipless mouth frowned deeply. “Looks like you have a serious speeding problem, young man.”

  Moving into plan C, I snarled, taking offense at his slight. “You do know who I am?”

  The officer nodded, replying dryly, “Braxxton from Xolia.”

  I stiffened my back, tossing my dark hair out of my face and told him, “I’m Second Prince of Xolia. Royalty.”

  “Okay, am I supposed to be impressed?” He asked. “You were still speeding. Shows on your records that this is the third charge this month.”

  I gave up the pretense. I was tired and hungry. I snapped, “Just give me the damn ticket. My fathers will fight this nonsense in the Intergalactic Court.”

  The officer tapped the data pad several times. A thin sheet of paper printed and he tore it off, handing it to me with a grim expression. He said, “Well, you can tell your fathers that if you get one more traffic violation of any sort and we will impound the airbike. Permanently.”

  I snatched the paper from his hand and gave it a cursory once over. I couldn’t believe the amount it showed. I stated hostilely, “This is robbery! This is three times as much as the last one!”

  The officer remained infuriatingly calm, saying, “It’s your third ticket too, Second Prince Braxxton. That’s how the system works. You get a higher fee each time until we see you can’t learn, and then we will take the fast toy away.”

  I snorted in derision. I told him, “I’ll inform my fathers that you are speaking to me like a child!”

  “You’re acting like one. Here’s my I.D. number,” the officer said, pointing helpfully to the number on his chest making sure that I would see it. He added, “Dark Demoness, if you were my boy, I’d spank your ass and make you walk everywhere. “

  I pocketed the ticket with the other two I had yet to pay and answered, “My fathers gave up trying to discipline me long ago.”

  “Ahh.”

  “Ahh what?” I enquired impatiently. This man was quickly getting on my last nerve.

  “Explains the behavior,” the officer remarked. “ I bet they moved on to bribing you to get good behavior, didn’t they?”

  That was it. I turned from him, grabbed my goggles and asked, “What does that matter? Look, I need to get going, I have classes tomorrow.”

  “You’re free to go, son,” he said. He glanced out at the deepening shadows. “Slow down and operate that airbike safely, please. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

  I waited a moment as he stepped away. As soon as his vehicle’s door closed behind him with a thud I grumbled, “Whatever, asshole.”

  Leaping onto the airbike I left the scene in a much more sedate manner. Once I was far enough from the speed trap area though I picked up velocity again. I knew what I was doing. I’d lived on this damned planet for over a year. My fathers would never know about the tickets because I’d pay them from my next allowance. My stress flowed out and away from me. I was pretty certain that riding at breakneck speeds helped me align my Na. I’d be within the city limits within a few minutes. This was my last hoorah for the night before I returned to the campus.

  The city streets were pretty calm this late at night but as I drew closer to the university’s spaceport I saw a space runner preparing to land. Each craft had its own unique pattern and shape to it and this one was distinctly Xolian. The markings were from my brother’s ship the Narada Marant. I cursed under my breath. So my fathers thought my brother could convince me to behave like a proper prince of Xolia, did they? I barked a laugh. Good luck finding me in the city, Quinn.

  I spun the airbike a little too forcefully in my attempt to flee the area. It skidded and bucked to the side, out of my control. With a jarring screech it struck a parked vehicle and flipped me over the control handles. It shuddered to a stop a mere hand width from my chest. The automatic response from my body was to armor itself and I took a few deep, calming breaths to relax again. I wasn’t hurt. Just a bit embarrassed. Thankfully no one had seen me or so I had thought.

  A human jumped out of the back of the vehicle I had scraped and called out, “What the High Hell was that stunt, idiot?”

  A very big, nasty tempered Srili Warrior stepped out of the front of the vehicle. He was obviously the first guy’s driver and bodyguard. He was as ugly as he was smelly. The thug’s mouth opened and he snarled loudly at me. I flashed my teeth back at him petulantly.

  “I asked you a question, idiot,” the human stated, completely ignoring his driver. “You need training wheels?”

  I wasn’t used to humans speaking to Xolians that way. Even if they didn’t know about my race the size of Charons usually convinced them it wasn’t worth it to fight us. In case he hadn’t noticed that I was taller and stronger, I stood and dusted myself off. I snapped, “Accident, asshole! Ever hear about those?”

  “You obviously don’t know who I am,” The man replied, holding a hand up to stop his driver from engaging in the conversation.

  “I don’t really care to be honest,” I responded. “Just give me your contact information and my fathers, the rulers of Xolia, will pay for the damage.”

  “How do I know you’re good for this? That you’re not going to bail out? S
eems like you were already fleeing the scene when you collided recklessly into me,” the asshole continued.

  “I wasn’t fleeing the scene,” I reassured him.

  “You should be taught some manners, you rude little boy. If I had the time, I would put you in your place,” he threatened. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, his icy blues locked on me. I couldn’t look away. Damn it. My body was responding to him like he was a long awaited drug fix. I needed to derail this or I was going to be sporting solid wood.

  Behind me a young male voice said, “Looked like you were fleeing to me.”

  “Yes, Braxx, you were trying to find a place to hide from me, weren’t you?” My brother added helpfully.

  I spun around, glaring at him and his little human mate. “I was not. I was in a hurry to get back to my room. I have a test tomorrow and I need rest.”

  “Mmm, for a class you’ve never attended?” Quinn inquired, a dark brow lifting. “Our fathers know you haven’t been going. You might as well drop the pretense.”

  I was so screwed. They’d ask where the money that I was supposed to use on my tuition had gone. I had three unpaid speeding tickets and now this debacle to take care of too. I glanced back at the human. He was inspecting the damage on his vehicle with a hard set to his mouth. I said, “My fathers will pay for that.”

  “No,” Quinn replied. “You will pay for that from your last allowance.”

  “Fine,” I stated flatly. “What’s your name so I can get you the funds?”

  “Fargo Dunn,” he answered.

  Quinn cleared his throat. He gave me a look of disbelief when I glanced at him. He said, “Fargo Dunn?”

  “Yes,” the human confirmed. He and my brother regarded each other quietly a few minutes.

  Finally Quinn said as he pulled out several large denominations of Intergalactic credits, “We won’t have to wait for police to make a report on this, Mr. Dunn. This should easily cover the cost of repair.”

  Mr. Dunn pocketed the credits and simply walked away. I shouted after him, “You’re welcome.”

  “Braxxton, shut up. Get your ass in the space runner, now!” Quinn ordered.

  I pointed at my airbike. “What about that? I should at least secure it.”

  Quinn assisted me in getting it over to the side of the road. I pressed in the locking code, gave her a fond pat, then followed my brother across the field to the small spaceport.

  ----------

  As I watched the planet drop away below me Quinn’s very heavily pregnant mate squawked from the cockpit, “Are you insane? Even I know who Fargo Dunn is! You do not mess with him!”

  “Del is right. That man is extremely dangerous,” my brother scolded. “You take him on and Xolia may end up in a war.”

  “Yeah, I know he’s some kind of crime boss,” I answered. “I’m not a complete idiot. But I didn’t really do much damage to that piece of crap he was riding in so I don’t see why you need to go on like I’d killed his son or something.”

  “He’s a psychopath, Braxx. He doesn’t need much to set him off on a vendetta,” Quinn replied.

  “Well, we’re never going to see him again. You can stop your fussing,” I said under my breath. My brother heard me anyway.

  “Do not speak to me in that tone, Braxxton. You are in serious trouble. Our fathers have overlooked a lot of your previous behavior, gave you a chance to straiten up, but you threw their money away gambling and on pretty toys.”

  I rolled my eyes. My brother was another that enjoyed a long lecture. “You are here to take me back to Xolia?”

  “Our Fathers sent me to talk reason to you,” Quinn said.

  “Great,” I mumbled. I watched as the Narada Marant came into view. “I see they fixed your ship after the Rathians attacked you.”

  “Don’t change the subject,” He said. As we banked sharply to align ourselves with the docking bay he added without looking at me, “I’m here to ask you to do our fathers will or I’ll tie you and deliver you to Hastor personally, Braxx.”

  “Rather be dead,” I replied, snorting.

  “Oh, I’m considering shooting you myself and tell our Fathers I couldn’t find you,” my brother stated. His mate, Del, chuckled at his jest.

  “Loving big brother Quinn,” I responded.

  Quinn shrugged, saying, “Naturally, now are you cooperating?”

  The space runner landed and was secured. As I waited for the ramp to open I pondered my future again. Face my fathers’ wrath and maybe risk having my royal privileges revoked? Or should I let my big brother deliver me gift wrapped to Rathia? Some choice. I saw no benefits. I asked Quinn, “To be mated to a Rathian Raider? What’s in it for me?”

  He said, “Your mating would bring peace to a war torn region and expand our trade interests.”

  Okay, try again. I pointed to myself. I’d be the one making the damn sacrifice. “For me, Quinn? Yours truly, not all of Xolia.”

  I think I spotted a sparkle in my brother’s eyes. He leaned over me and almost whispered, “I know you, my little brother and I’ve met this Raider, Hastor. I think you’ll find him….interesting.”

  Hmmm, he had my curiosity peeked. Best to verify though. I asked, “My kind of interesting or your kind of interesting, Quinn?”

  He said, “I’m tired of this, Braxx. You’ve had ample time to get to know the facts. Your decision?”

  “I won’t be bored?”

  Quinn actually smiled. He added, “Hardly.”

  “You’ll pay three speeding tickets for me and won’t tell our fathers about the airbike?” I asked.

  “Why should I keep that from them?” My brother growled as we exited the Space Runner.

  I answered, “Just do it and I’ll do what our fathers ask, no resistance.”

  “None,” my brother replied.

  “That’s what I said, Quinn.”

  “Our fathers will be happy to hear your decision.” Quinn guided me down the ramp, handing a mission report clipboard to the young navigator that came forward to receive it. I couldn’t remember his name. Drew or something like that. “I think though that the sale of your airbike should be sufficient to cover all these expenses.”

  “You suck, you know that, Quinn?”

  The navigator inhaled sharply at having overheard me speaking to an elder sibling in such a rude manner. Whatever. We weren’t on Xolia.

  “You’ve told me on many occasions, Braxx.”

  I refused to pass through the Docking Bay door. Quinn gave me an annoyed frown as I halted the little group. I asked, “And if I reconsider and refuse to go with you to Rathia?”

  Quinn’s eyes darkened. He threatened, “Oh don’t start now, Braxxton. I don’t want to go call Second Father and have him discuss this with you himself!”

  I changed my mind about rebelling. “No, you’re right let’s go,” I said. “How bad can Hastor be?”

  Quinn responded as he turned to enter the hallway of his ship, “Obviously not as scary as Second Father.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Hastor (Rathian Raider):

  Snarling I turned to my father behind his wall of armored soldiers and flashed my incisors at him in my rage. I reached automatically for my weapon, which normally hung across my chest on its belt, but having left it behind at my father's request my hand groped at nothing except my bare chest. “You have betrayed me! I will kill you for this!”

  “Hastor, my young whelp, I have no intention of letting you have the opportunity to carry out that threat! The Nurrin have a legal claim on you for failing to deliver goods in the contract with Prime Leader Kull. I'm just cashing in on the reward for your bounty. I'm certain you understand!”

  I spat at him in response, turned and glared at the Royal guards of the Nurrin. 'Royal', my ass. They were just flies in elaborate costumes with shiny barreled long guns. I told him hotly, “I thought we were on this forsaken, idiotic planet to set a new trade agreement. I should have known something was up. Raiders don't trade! We take w
hat we want! Our King would never have agreed to such garbage!”

  When the bug guards rushed forward to aim their weapons at me my father stated into his translator, “He can't hurt you, I made him leave his weapons on my ship thinking we were on a peaceful mission. You can see he is unarmed.”

  The flies only lowered their weapons a fraction. The leader of the group buzzed in my direction and his words were helpfully translated, “Raise arms.”

  I hissed at him, unmoving. “I'm practically naked here, stupid bug! See, bare chested, not even the usual weapons belt. Where am I going to hide my weapon? Under my Da’ Shari? Up my ass, perhaps?” I growled angrily.

  My father moved forward and poked me with the barrel of his rifle. Glowering, I complied by very slowly raising my arms above my head.

  “Check him. No weapons. We take prisoner. New Prime pleased,” The leader of the Nurrin buzzed.

  One of the other Nurrin lowered his weapon, stepped up to me and ran his nasty bug clawed hands over my chest and groped my cock through my kilt-like Da’ Shari. With a gurgling giggle he said something to the other bugs and they joined him in his laughter. I kept my temper and waited until he crossed behind me. As soon as his hands pinched my ass I swung my tail and slashed him across the face for my trouble. He shrieked in pain and fled from the others, green fluid dripping through his hand covering his wound. A fellow Nurrin whipped his weapon around and struck me hard in the belly with the butt of the weapon. Grunting, I bent over trying to catch my breath.

  My father chuckled, “Ah, my dear whelp, wish I could stay and watch the new Prime Leader rape you or whatever it is he has planned. But alas, I'll take my payment and be on my way.”

  “Go, dearest father,” I snarled angrily. “I’ll kill these nasty insects and hunt you down!”

  My father picked up the large case of money the bugs had given him and retreated. The swarm instantly snatched at me, dug in their nasty insectile claws and dragged me, screaming in fury, into their Prime Leader’s throne room. Those whisking me along deposited me right at his feet.