by Cara Wylde
“I’m talking here…” She shot him an angry look. “Before we knew anything about the Danube Valley Tablets, we all considered all the possible solutions and concluded that war was not an option, and neither driving the aliens away. It doesn’t matter what they did to us. We’re better than that. We’re not sentencing anyone to death, all right? Call me naïve, but I actually believed it. And I still do.” She turned to Avery. “We haven’t come this far and risked so much to go with such a cruel strategy.”
Avery sighed. She ran her hands through her long, blonde hair, pulling harshly at some knots. The slight pain helped her think more clearly, if only for a minute. She could feel a headache growing between her temples. She needed a second cup of coffee.
“Lisa, they did manipulate us first. Have you walked downtown lately? The buildings are covered in billboards of blue, purple, green, red aliens… So many colors that my eyes hurt. Thanks to Kralia films dropping every few months, people believe that aliens are some kind of angels. And Aedar’s sci-fi romances don’t help one bit, either. It’s called brainwashing. And while Kralians are different…” She thought for a second. “In fact, I think they come very close to all the cheesy books and movies… Anyway, the others don’t. Not even a little.”
Lisa shrugged. “I get it, sure. But it still doesn’t excuse the fact that we had a plan and now we’re changing it.”
Avery opened her mouth to reply, but Captain Shaw raised his hand and asked everyone to be silent.
“People, we’re going in circles. Let’s hear what Dr. Jeffreys has to say.”
Dan Jeffreys blinked in surprise. He’d been sitting there for a few hours now, and he had eventually come to peace with the idea that everyone had forgotten about him. He had consulted the FBI on many cases, but this one was, by far, the most insane one. He’d only been given a day and a night to read the files provided by Captain Ben Shaw and get himself up to speed with the subtle alien invasion the entire planet was dealing with. The public knew nothing about it, as most of the governments had voted for total silence to avoid mass panic. Even though young women were being kidnapped all over the world, and the clock was ticking, they were still holding some hope that one of the secret agencies working on the case would come up with a solution. It didn’t help that, most of the time, these agencies weren’t very willing to collaborate and share intel given various grudges they, or their governments, held against each other. So far, the Special Provision for Gaia had made good progress. They were so close… Thanks to Agent Avery Tonkin, they now had the Kralians on their side, which was something no other agency had achieved. From what Dr. Jeffreys could tell, he was the only human in the room who had figured out the real relationship between Agent Tonkin and the two bulky purple men. The purple woman, Medo, knew what was going on, but all the members of the SPG seemed clueless. One could call it an occupational hazard, but no intimate relationship ever went unnoticed by Dr. Jeffreys. If he hadn’t been a top of the line psychologist, he wouldn’t have been in this room now, after all.
All eyes fell on Dan Jeffreys. He shifted in his seat, crossed his legs, and leaned slightly forward. Unsure of whom he should address, he decided to address them all by fixing them in part with his intense blue gaze. He had already read them like open books. Lisa Jenkins was the girl-next-door type, but her intuition was sharp as a knife. He was almost sure she’d felt the connection between Agent Tonkin and the Kralian captains, although she couldn’t yet put her finger on it. Her IT colleague, Carter Bloom, liked to play the A-hole card to cover for his insecurities, but was, in fact, very dedicated to his work and loyal to his team. Zadie Childs from Dreamland was the type most people found hard to read, but Dr. Jeffreys had figured her out in an instant. Even though she was good at her job, she had a strong inferiority complex. She didn’t like Agent Tonkin simply because she perceived her as being more capable than her, which wasn’t entirely false. Zadie’s Dreamland colleague, Chris Miller, was a standup guy. Anyone in the room could trust him with their life. Too bad they were too self-absorbed to see it. Simon Chen from Accounting was more than the coffee guy who took care of the numbers and made the budgets. He was one of the best observers Jeffreys had met. Chen knew everything that moved and how it moved. Unfortunately, he was so focused on the logical that he’d completely missed Avery’s relationship with the purple aliens. And speaking of the purple aliens…
When Kryan, Aedar, and Medo had removed their leather bracelets at the Captain’s request, Jeffreys had almost feared a heart attack. The story he’d read in the files had prepared him somewhat, but the shock had been all the same. The last thing he thought he’d see in his life was purple-skinned extraterrestrials. He had some thoughts about the three Kralians, but he felt like he needed more time to make up his mind about them. Medo seemed harmless enough, but Kryan and Aedar embodied the sort of power and authority that could make entire populations tremble before them. They just hid it well after years and years of walking among humans and having to blend in.
However, if someone were to ask him who he believed were the most interesting and fascinating characters in the room, Dr. Jeffreys would have named Avery Tonkin and Ben Shaw. In the miniature universe they had created at the improvised HQ on 1834 Pandora Ave, they made the world go round.
“Doctor?”
The Captain’s harsh tone startled Jeffreys. He had spaced out for a bit, a habit he was well-known for, and he had completely forgotten what the initial question was.
“Sorry, I… Could you please repeat that?”
“We’d like to hear your opinion. From what you’ve learned, seen, and heard, do you think what we’re considering here is possible?”
“Possible? Yes. Easy? I’m afraid not. If I understood correctly, what you’re trying to achieve is the other four races’ peaceful retreat. You’re thinking of the type of manipulation and reverse psychology that would convince them the idea was theirs and you had nothing to do with their decision.”
“Yes, indeed,” Ben Shaw confirmed. Finally, he felt like they were getting somewhere. “We don’t expect it to be easy, but if you say it’s possible, I’d like you to start studying the Valgans, Cattalians, Minarians, and the Norgavians right away.”
When Dr. Jeffreys simply nodded and made a note in his notebook, Avery took advantage of the small window of silence.
“I don’t doubt Dr. Jeffreys’ skills, but we still have a problem here. Even with a genius therapist on our side and a great feat of reverse psychology, there’s no way we can replicate the connection between Kralians and humans in such a short time.”
“I agree,” said the Doctor. He looked up at the beautiful, blonde woman. She was a sight to behold! Tall, with deep blue eyes, a fierce expression on her pale, perfect face, and lips so red that they could poison with a kiss. Yes, he could see it. If two alien warriors were to fall madly in love with a human female, she would be it. “I agree, Agent Tonkin. But, as I remember…” He fumbled with the papers he was carefully balancing on his knees. “Mr. Kryan and Mr. Aedar suggested at some point that a short-term solution could be… cooked in the science laboratory on the Hordaa.”
Avery cocked an eyebrow. That was right. She remembered that idea being thrown around once or twice, and she knew her boss always insisted they were very thorough at recording every tiny, little detail.
“Yes, we said that,” Kryan answered in her place. “What humans and Kralians have in common is a gene sequence. Our scientists have extensive experience in Genetics. They can’t do miracles, of course, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come up with something useful, albeit temporary.”
Dan Jeffreys’ smile was so big that the corners of his lips almost reached his ears.
“Temporary is more than enough, Mr. Kryan.”
CHAPTER TWO
Avery didn’t quite understand why the first step in their plan was to take the whole SPG team through the stargate and on the Hordaa, but she didn’t mind it that much. As long as K
ryan and Aedar had everything under control…
“It’s a matter of honor,” Medo explained to her as they were climbing the stairs to the library at the Walsh Residence. “They made a good call. It’s time for our people to find out what’s going on and where they stand. It’s the least we can do for them.”
“The Kralians who were at the party… they know about me. Do you think they really didn’t tell anyone else on the ship?”
Medo smiled and shook her head.
“They’re the most loyal warriors we have. If they swore not to say a word, then you’d better believe they haven’t said a word about you to anyone. Anyway, all they know is that you’re a pleasure slave. Today, everyone finds out the truth.”
Avery took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. They reached the library, and the Captain was silently studying the stargate. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She had never seen Lisa so excited, and Lisa usually was a very happy and hyperactive person. Chris and Zadie were dying with curiosity. Even though Dreamland had had access to a lot of alien technology through the years, this was the first time two of their people got to see and use an actual stargate. Avery knew they were already trying to figure out what something like this could mean for Earth. Carter was oddly silent, and Simon Chen seemed lost in thought. The accountant had initially refused to come, saying his presence wouldn’t be needed, but Ben Shaw had insisted. They were all a team, and they all mattered. This was a special day for the Special Provision for Gaia. They were going to meet the Kralians and mingle with them, and they were going to do it together, as the strong team that they were. Even though Dr. Jeffreys was the new guy, his expertise was needed. He had already started working on some general psychological profiles of the five alien races, and direct contact with one of them could only help.
One by one, they went through the stargate. Kryan led the way, while Aedar stayed behind with Avery to make sure everyone was fine.
“Are you guys sure about this?” Avery asked for the thousandth time.
Aedar stepped closer to her and took her small hand into his, squeezing it in reassurance.
A jolt of electricity ran up her arm, descended her spine, and finally settled in her stomach. She closed her eyes, dragged in a breath, released it slowly, and allowed herself, for just one moment, to enjoy the intense flood of thoughts and emotions invading her being. She’d missed being so close to him. The past few days had been insane, and she hadn’t had time to fool around with Aedar and his brother. She missed them dearly. The longing in her body was almost painful. It took all her strength and willpower to stay focused on the mission. It didn’t help that the Kralian captains were now working closely with the SPG and were almost always around.
Aedar cocked an eyebrow, then turned to look into her eyes.
“You’re shaking…”
She half-chuckled, half-snorted. “Am I?”
“Today is all about telling my people the truth. Don’t you think it’s time you did the same with… your people?”
She jumped out of her skin. As if his touch had suddenly burned her, she pulled her hand away and headed toward the stargate. Medo was just going through it.
“No. Not yet.”
Aedar sighed but followed her.
“You’re forcing us to hide crucial information from our people.”
“How is it crucial? Our relationship doesn’t concern anyone. Not the SPG, and not the Kralians on the Hordaa.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“Once they hear about the history between humans and Kralians, they will know that you all have a future with us, that your men and our women are more than compatible. They don’t need a live demonstration.”
She was gone through the stargate before Aedar had a chance to say another word. Keeping the secret was exhausting, but she couldn’t yet bring herself to tell her team what had been going on right under their nose. It would sound like an insult no matter how she’d put it. After all, they were supposed to be brilliant detectives even if they worked in IT, or at Dreamland. Oh, and Captain Shaw! No, Avery still had a long way to go to work up the courage to tell him. For some reason, she’d started to consider him her mentor. She’d hate to see him disappointed.
Two Kralian warriors were waiting for them in the stargate room on the Hordaa. Avery knew them from the party, and she couldn’t miss their surprise at the sight of her walking through the stargate by herself, head held high, no collar around her neck, and wearing her FBI uniform. Pleasure slaves weren’t allowed to wear trousers, let alone such manly ones. She gave them a mysterious smile and joined her team.
Kryan and Aedar stepped forward. The two warriors bowed respectfully but didn’t take their silvery eyes off the strange human guests. The captains’ trusted people had already made arrangements on the ship, and the crew on deck was ready for the visit, while the civilians had been informed they should expect an important broadcast later that day. The Hordaa was ready. At this point, after so many years of waiting to find out if they could, indeed, build a new life on Earth, the Kralians were ready for anything. They didn’t care whether the news was good or bad. It was news.
Kryan made the introductions. When he said their names, the warriors kept their heads high and didn’t make a single gesture of acknowledgment. Lisa waved shyly, Captain Shaw nodded, and Carter Bloom rolled his eyes. He knew no one was going to ask for his opinion, but he had already decided the Kralians were just a bunch of rude barbarians. How they were the most reasonable of the five races, he didn’t understand.
“Is everyone ready?” Aedar asked.
“As ready as they can be,” one of the purple men answered in a low voice.
Aedar motioned for the humans to follow him and his brother, and the two warriors waited for them to leave the room, so they could walk behind them.
Dr. Jeffreys could tell that the only one who wasn’t afraid was Avery. She seemed to have something else on her mind, while the other members of the SPG showed subtle signs of uncertainty and concern in one way or another. Even Captain Shaw, who was walking tall and confident behind the Kralian ship captains, had a slight hesitation in his step. Dan felt like the man was all eyes and ears, ready to take immediate action in case anything happened. How he’d manage to protect his team, the doctor had no idea. No one had been allowed to carry weapons, while Kryan and Aedar had strange-looking knives hung around their leather belts.
“For your own protection,” Aedar had said with a smile.
Dan could see why the ship captains couldn’t walk on the bridge of command unarmed. Their people had to know that their captains were in control. As a courtesy to the human guests, however, the two warriors at the back didn’t carry knives. Not that Dr. Jeffreys, or anyone in the party for that matter, believed the two tall, huge men would have any trouble defending themselves with just the strength and skill of their muscled bodies.
As they walked on deck, the Kralian crew turned away from their screens and bowed toward their captains.
“Resume what you were doing,” Kryan said as he walked to one of the two chairs in the middle of the rather small room.
Aedar gave Avery a cheerful, reassuring smile, and took the chair next to his brother’s.
For long minutes, the SPG just stood like that, a few steps behind the two chairs, looking at the incredible view before them. The main window was so tall and wide that it almost covered the whole front of the deck. The Hordaa’s position allowed them to see half of the Blue Planet in the distance, along with two of the other alien ships.
“The Craziak and the Lyare,” Medo whispered in Avery’s ear.
Avery nodded without a word. The Craziak was the Minarian ship, and its captain was Araime, the ivory-skinned woman with blue eyes and brightly colored hair. Agent Tonkin had learned many things at the party on the Swetho. One of them was that the Minarians liked to color their white hair in crazy ways, and they never stuck to the same hairdo for more
than two or three weeks. The Lyare was the Norgavian ship, and Kaylee’s current home.
“Home,” Avery thought. “No. Prison.”
She was getting a case of the “confusies” again. Not a word, but she didn’t care. Since she’d talked to Kaylee and Grace on the Swetho, she had struggled with so many contradictory thoughts that she’d decided to call them the “confusies”. That was how comfortable she’d become with talking to her own crazy thoughts and changing her mind every two minutes.
She closed her eyes, rubbed her temples, then opened them back and furrowed her brows.
“Yes, yes, awesome view,” she whispered under her breath, “but it’s time to get this over with.”
She made her way past Lisa and Carter, walked around Captain’s Shaw wide, stocky frame, and stepped up the slightly elevated platform that held the captains’ chairs. Her hands came to rest on Kryan’s and Aedar’s shoulders. She felt both twitch under her touch. Despite the rush of desire assaulting her senses, she focused on the matter at hand and sent them the clearest message she could muster: “Enough stalling. You’re doing this, or what?”
Neither of the brothers looked up at her, but they didn’t remove her hands either. Kryan cleared his throat, then gave the order:
“Open a shipwide channel.”
“Channel open, Sir.”
“To the crew and civilians of the Hordaa, this is Captain Kryan speaking.”
“And Captain Aedar,” added his brother.
“What you are about to hear must not be shared with anyone who is not one of us, who is not a resident of the Hordaa. It is going to sound unexpected, shocking even, but I urge you to listen until the end and try to understand why we have made the choices that we have made, and why we have waited so long to reveal the truth to you. And trust me, your Captain, that what you will hear now is no more and no less than the reality of our past, present, and future.”
Aedar nodded. He was the writer, but that didn’t mean his brother wasn’t good with words, too.
