by Jade Waltz
This was their chance to prove to the Daextru that they were worth keeping on the squadron—and to send a big ‘fuck you’ to the CTA.
“Prepare to fight. If we die, we die with honor.”
The front row engaged the enemy, then the second, and so on until it was their turn.
Jaiya used every ounce of her battle experience. Right before they completed their first pass, a Daextru ship was hit and exploded ahead. She dodged the wreckage, checking to find her systems free of any damage.
As they looped around, she threw a quick glance at her wing’s condition, satisfied with their readings. Everyone was still alive and in good standing.
On their way back through, the Vresqoxk caught on to their strategy and peeled back to face them.
“Open Melee. Every wing for itself.”
Jaiya relayed the message to her wing.
“Let’s do this!” Zaera roared.
“Itsy-bitsy spider, time to die!” Nix shouted.
They tossed and turned, shooting at anything green that crossed their path. The Vresqoxk gave up their focus on the CTA and turned their attention to the squadron.
The Azophi fleet began to circle them, trapping the remaining CTA and Vresqoxk forces.
The Vresqoxk were getting desperate to escape, but the squadron picked off the ships before they could.
Suddenly, the flash of an explosion above caught her eye. She glanced up just in time to see a claw-like green vessel disintegrating on a suicidal dive toward a starstorm wing below.
Dread filled Jaiya as she realized what was about to happen. The Vresqoxk knew it was going to die, so it was determined to take out as many enemy ships as possible on its way out. If they were successful, they could destroy not only the wing in its path but any below it in a ripple effect.
Her wing flew high on the upper level of the battle, directly in its path.
Jaiya saw an opportunity, and she had to take it.
One life was worth more than many, and hers could save many more below her.
She hoped that her plan would work.
“I just want you all to know, it’s been an honor leading you. Hope to see you on the other side.”
Standing on a stage in front of his people had always felt natural after years of leading the starbase. But with the human wing joining his force, the squadron had become something more.
The lines between their two species had begun to blur. A person’s value depended less and less on one’s species, gender, or the length of a human’s hair.
These were their humans.
Jaiya’s Lime Wing put on a show. Their scrappy style of fighting added another flavor to his squadron’s collection, giving him a new resource to pull from when needed.
It felt strange to be fighting with their wing, instead of against them. Now he had a wing trained under the same regimen as their enemy, and he was going to use that to his advantage.
First, he needed the Lime Wing to swear fealty to him, but until then, this victory was a step in the right direction.
At the pivotal moment of the battle, Jaiya had swooped in and shot the suicidal Vresqoxk vessel as it was about to destroy Raizxl’s wing, blowing it up as Idris’ heart stopped beating.
She could have been blown apart in the explosion. Only when her fighter appeared from the cloud of dust, bypassing the debris effortlessly, did his heart remember how to beat again.
Jaiya’s selfless action had saved a male who had believed his life didn’t matter anymore, ever since he lost his mate in a battle against humans. She had proven that some humans could be trusted.
War led to death; he understood that after many years of endless battles, but to lose her before he had the chance to tell her how he truly felt? He wouldn’t be able to live with himself.
She was the first female who didn’t cower under his attentions, who didn’t paw after him in order to prove she was worthy of his offspring.
No, she challenged him to be better, to want something more in life than politics and battle. She gave him something to work towards, and to fight for beyond this seemingly endless war.
And now he could ask her to stand by his side, as his starmate.
He scanned the lively crowd in search of her.
Idris located her effortlessly amongst the sea of Daextru. Tucked in near the back wall, the earth-colored skin marked the Lime Wing apart from the rest. Her crew laughed and hugged, enjoying themselves as Jaiya watched, leaning against her fighter. Zaera said something to her, making Jaiya give a playful shove back.
It was then that her eyes met his.
She tilted her head in the Daextru greeting, her lips curling in a small smile.
Their moment broke when a youthful male tackle-hugged her, acting as if he was going to kiss her. She laughed and shoved him away, rolling her eyes. An older male grabbed the offender by his collar and pulled him away.
Who was this male who dared to disrespect his captain? How dare he attempt to steal her away from him with such a display?
Something within him snapped.
Instead of silencing the hangar bay in order to deliver his speech, he jumped the stage, landing effortlessly on the ground. The crowd of his gathered squadron pilots, crewmen, and staff backed away instantly, parting to give him room to pass.
Murmurs and questions followed his path across the hangar, but he was too far gone to care.
As the crowd parted into groups of wings, the Lime pilots scrambled to fall into line, confusion and shock etched into all of their faces.
Jaiya pushed past her pilots and stood before him, Zaera stepping up next to her in support. All twelve humans stood at attention, but only one met his gaze.
He ignored her—for now—and walked up to the youthful male who stood beside the second male who had defended the captain. He could see the easy remembrance between the two—they were brothers.
Idris took in the height difference between him and the Lime Wing pilots. The top of Jaiya’s head came to his chin, along with most of her crew members, this child was the shortest of the group, barely reaching to his chest.
“You dare disrespect your wing captain, boy?”
“Prince Idris, my crew doesn’t speak Dzexet,” Jaiya hissed, stepping between him and the offending male. “And I would appreciate it if you didn’t talk down to my crew, especially when you are throwing around false accusations.”
“He tried to kiss you,” Idris growled, in CTA Common, to fulfill her wishes.
“Look, dude—Prince—Sire—or whatever,” the young brunette male said, gripping Jaiya’s shoulder as he peered over it. “I wasn’t disrespecting my wing captain, and I have absolutely no desire to kiss her. I owe her. She was the only wing captain willing to give me a chance, regardless of my age and lack of filter. Too many virtual games growing up, what can I say?” He shrugged. “Beside the point. I was teasing her, asking why she hasn’t run up and kissed you yet. I mean, she has been eye-fuckin’ you since we got here. I don’t understand what’s stoppin’ her.”
“Eye . . . fucking?”
“Oh, Stars,” Jaiya muttered, her face burning bright red as she looked away.
“Yeah, man, when you watch someone who you think is bangin’ and wonder how it would be to fuck ‘em.” He gave Jaiya a gentle shake. “I am just tryin’ to make my captain happy. I mean, I don’t know if I would ever be into horns and a tail, but free love, am I right?”
“Edam, you had one job!” Jaiya barked. “What did I tell you?”
“Sorry, Captain,” the offender’s brother answered sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “I didn’t want to step between whatever dressing-down Nix was going to get. I am not foolish enough to try to piss off a male who’s that much taller than me. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
“More like my brother’s a space rat,” Nix mumbled. “Tries to sneak away whenever there’s trouble.”
“Okay, guys. How about you shut your fuckin’ traps and go stand at the end of th
e line,” Zaera ordered. “You have embarrassed your captain and the rest of the crew enough to last the rest of the day.”
“More like the rest of the month,” Jaiya mumbled.
“Okay fine, the month.”
“If you need any help, man, hit me up.” Nix winked, letting go of Jaiya’s shoulder.
Idris watched the two brothers walk away, for once doing what they were told.
“Unless you need me, Sire,” Zaera said, giving him a quick head bow. “I am going to go and leave you two alone. If you need me, I’ll be talking to the two troublemakers.”
“Jaiya, I . . .”
She crossed her arms, face averted, refusing to look at him.
“Prince Idris, while I appreciate your concern, the way you handled yourself was uncalled for. You stopped a debriefing because one of my pilots teased me.” Jaiya jerked her head toward his podium. “But instead of just letting me handle my crew, you embarrassed me with your display of jealousy over some male almost half my age,” she spat, glancing over her shoulder, her eyes aflame. “It’s insulting. I am an adult and fully capable of handling my wing. If they didn’t respect me, I wouldn’t be here.”
“I’m sorry, Jaiya.”
“Idris . . . can you please just go, before you embarrass me any further?” Turning towards him, she crossed her arms, closing herself off to him. “Just leave. You have a hangar bay filled with people just waiting for you to address them. Don’t leave them hanging.”
“We’ll continue this later.”
She pursed her lips and nodded.
He focused on her lips and how he wanted to kiss them, to possess them.
Tightening his hands into fists, he drew in a deep breath and exhaled, fighting for control. He was starting to feel the aftermath of the battle. All the adrenaline coursing through his veins needed an outlet, but first, he needed to do his job.
And burning his battle lust alone tonight wouldn’t feel right . . .
Once again, he had failed her, but this time, he’d made a fool of himself in front of the whole starbase.
Stars. Would she ever forgive him?
“Sire, you should reveal the results of the mission, so everyone can run off and burn off their battle lusts however they see fit,” Erlyn commented from his side.
Ignoring the advice, Idris passed him and returned to his podium.
The silence was deafening. The whole room watched him, waiting to see what he would do next. He could see crewmembers fidgeting, twisting their tails together, and against the wall, Jaiya surrounded by her wing. Zaera had an arm wrapped around her waist, as if daring Idris to come over and cause another scene. The rest of the wing were clustered together, a short distance away from their leaders.
Their laughter and playfulness were now gone. He had done that.
His hands shook as he gripped the podium’s edges, but not from fear.
He wasn’t going to be a puppet to his own biology, desperate to find his release in order to find some peace.
“The Stars have graced us tonight, for we won the battle,” Idris announced, surveying the crowd. “Thanks to Wing Captain Lian and her Lime Wing, we were able to use inside information to successfully prepare for their attack. The CTA and the Vresqoxk didn’t plan for us to arrive as backup for the main fleet. By adjusting to the battle’s development, we were able to use their own strategy against them and prevent them from escaping.”
The crowd cheered, and he waited, patiently, until they calmed, falling silent so all could hear.
“The CTA turned on us at the last minute to ally with our enemy. Little did they know that their fickle alliance with the Vresqoxk was a scam, nothing more than a tactic to prevent them from allying with us. They turned on the CTA, making the battle three-sided.
“Once the Vresqoxk were defeated, the CTA asked if we could aid them and would still be willing to form an alliance. Princess Ushyaz respectfully declined, but she allowed them to leave the battleground. Now that the Vresqoxk fleet is destroyed, and the CTA fleet is a fraction of its former strength, we finally have room to breathe and recoup, before we attack the Vresqoxk in their own territory.”
His people cheered on again. Their happiness was overwhelming as they celebrated the change of orbit. For once, their war against the Vresqoxk was looking up—and the humans had played a part, one way or another.
“This joyful moment could not have been achieved without the great sacrifices of the warriors whom we have lost. May their souls burn brightly and shine upon us in battle.” He shifted his gaze to the hornless humans in the back, their leader’s irritated stare still fixed on him. Confusion laced her features as she noticed everyone's attention was brought upon her once again. “I would like to thank Wing Captain Lian and her crew for risking their lives to deliver your warning, and for fighting alongside us when our fleet needed you. Once Warrior Princess Ushyaz returns, we will hold a celebration to honor those who have served this war.”
Jaiya looked mortified, her mouth ajar, and shocked expressions crossed the rest of the human wing’s faces. He could imagine how difficult it would be for them, as the minority on a starbase filled with a species that had once been their enemy. Idris hadn’t heard of any incidents between the two species within the base, but he knew that tensions were still running high, so sooner or later, a fight would break out. Other than Jaiya, the humans didn’t understand Dzexet, at least not enough to carry on a conversation. They depended on her to translate for them. That needed to change, soon, if the wing was going to swear their loyalty to him.
“In closing, I would like to tell everyone to burn your battle lust—and do it well, for it may be a while before we have any downtime again. We may have been victorious in this battle, but the war has not ended. The Vresqoxk may have many more fleets to come. We must not forget that. Rest well. I will see you all at the celebration when our fleet returns.”
The hangar bay went wild.
His squadron pilots found their starmates, flings, or whoever they were going to burn the night with and rushed to leave the hangar bay. The ground crew remained, resuming their inspection of the ships.
An itch coursed through his veins, begging to be scratched. His earlier display of jealousy had only added to his need.
“Do you need to go relieve the pressure?” Erlyn asked, appearing beside him with his tablet out. “Or are you fine until tomorrow? Reports from Hwonk state that the fleet will be here in a few days; your sister says to prepare the ceremony in a week’s time. But you may need to talk to Jaiya about that.”
“Why?” he asked, searching the room for her. He didn’t find her where he had last seen her.
“She left in a rush as soon as you dismissed the crew,” Erlyn explained, following his gaze. “I wasn’t the only one who saw you two holding hands, nor will I be the last to hear about it. But if you’re serious about pursuing her, you have my blessing—not that it matters much. Even the short time she’s spent working with you as an acquaintance has changed you.”
“Changed me how?”
“You seem happier . . . and more hopeful about the future. You’re no longer going through the motions of winning this war.” Erlyn squeezed his shoulder. “I am telling you that it’s okay to be with a female, to seek a starmate. And I can’t think of another female more perfect for you.”
“Do you think she would accept me?”
“Not if you don’t fix what you’ve done to her this time.” He winced and gave him an apologetic look. “You disrespected her in front of the whole starbase.”
The itch continued to grow, traveling straight to his cock.
He needed to go and right his mistake. He hoped she would accept his apology because, in the end, nothing else mattered to him.
“I have to go.”
Jaiya stood under the waterfall’s shower, feeling the warm water caress her body as it washed away the remnants of the battle. A flurry of emotions barraged her, fighting to claw their way out and ruin the night.
Usually, she would clean up, grab a drink, and read the stress away—anything to take her mind off of the chaos and violence of the fight.
But she had neither alcohol nor a novel to read, only an indoor greenhouse for a room and conflicting thoughts about how to face the future.
Jaiya couldn’t stop thinking about where Idris was—and a tiny part of her wondered why he wasn’t here with her.
She had heard all about the Daextru and their battle lust. The concept wasn’t new to her. Even among her own pilots, the adrenaline and the stressful situations they were placed in triggered a natural bodily reaction, especially during intense battles.
Battle boners--that's what she secretly called them. Something she got used to over all the years being a pilot. They couldn't help it, so she never saw a reason to make a big deal about it.
But if a Daextru didn’t handle their battle lust, it could hurt them. From what Raizxl had explained, spending a night of passion with a willing partner was the easiest way to relieve the pressure—rarely did a pilot go without.
Perhaps I should go to the practice arena to fight out my aggression on Idris’s projection.
Her cabin door pinged, jarring her from her thoughts.
Sighing, she grabbed a jade-green robe, tying it at the waist as she opened the door. She knew that she was safe on their private floor. Idris had assigned the residential guest floor to her wing, leaving them housed together to help with the adjustment.
A certain tall sapphire-blue male stood on the other side of the threshold.
His aqua eyes were no longer slitted; their black centers dilated as he studied her. He still wore his black living suit from the practice arena, which left nothing to her imagination.
“May I help you, Prince Idris?” she asked tentatively.
“I . . . May I come in?” His eyes trailed down her face, along her neck, to her breasts. His body shivered with clenched fists, making Jaiya step back in worry. “Don’t. Please. I just want to apologize.”