They had survived, at least for the moment. Who knew where things would go from here, but at least they had made it this far. Evie closed her eyes and let the warmth of Toryx’s kiss take over her. For the moment, at least, Evie’s heart was filled with hope.
Chapter Five
The giant city of Crantine spread out below Toryx like a dream. Crantine was the capital of Mognerth, known informally throughout the Seven Galaxies as the “water planet.” And with good reason. Toryx wasn’t sure of the exact percentages, but the planet must have been about ninety percent water. Its warm temperatures and plentiful water supply meant the portions of the planet that did have dry land were tropical rainforests. Real tropical rainforests that were naturally occurring—not an artificially made tropical rainforest like the one inside of Zocrone’s City Dome.
For a man who had spent the last year worried about dying of thirst, the sight of so much water seemed surreal. In the city of Crantine, wide blue rivers crisscrossed against emerald green treetops. The trees were so tall and thick that you almost couldn’t tell there was an actual city below. The only hint of the bustling metropolis beneath the trees was the occasional rooftop that managed to be taller than the trees and peeked through to the sky.
Toryx had been here before, though, and he knew that once they descended below those treetops he would be greeted with a busy city full of modern buildings. Crantine was a major intergalactic trading hub, and there would be aliens here from all over the Seven Galaxies.
Evie had been granted permission to land by the Crantine authorities, and a few minutes later Toryx was exiting the cramped dropship to stretch his legs and breathe in the oxygen-rich Mognerthian air.
Evie stiffly left the dropship’s cockpit as well, wincing as she took a few steps. It had been a long journey in a very cramped cabin.
“I hope you have a lot of credits in your e-accounts,” Evie said as she glanced ruefully at the small, badly battered dropship. “We’re going to need to buy a new ship if we’re going to be able to carry any supplies back to Zocrone.”
Toryx frowned. “I don’t think I have enough to buy a ship and a bunch of portable water. But we’ll find a way to figure out something. Zocrone has been a major trading partner with Mognerth for decades. Surely they’ll extend us some sort of credit.”
Evie frowned. “I hope so. Otherwise this was all for nothing, because there’s no way that dropship is going to make it back to Zocrone through those storms, no matter how well we repair it. And even if the ship could make it, it has no space for cargo.”
“We’ll find a way,” Toryx said, even though he secretly wasn’t as confident as he sounded. He wasn’t here on official orders, so he couldn’t exactly promise things in Daxar’s name. And worse, he didn’t know when the storms would let up and allow Zekkardite to be shipped out of Zocrone again. Zekkardite was pretty much the only valuable thing that Zocrone had to offer.
But they had to find a way. The lives of everyone on Zocrone depended on it.
“Come on,” Toryx said. “Let’s head into the city and see what we can do.”
Toryx led the way and Evie followed him without comment. He knew that Evie had been to Mognerth before, but she seemed happy to let him lead the way. He sensed that she needed him to lead the way right now. The adrenaline from their flight over was starting to fade, and he thought he saw her hands shaking a little bit. She wasn’t in a good state of mind to lead the way right now. She needed a break.
Toryx would give her that break. He was more than ready to step up and do something. He hadn’t liked sitting on the sidelines, so to speak, while Evie singlehandedly rescued them from Zocrone’s storms. He was impressed with her abilities, but he had felt helpless to do anything useful, and he hadn’t liked that feeling. He was used to being an alpha male, and to being the one who saved the day.
Perhaps now would be his turn.
He strode confidently out of the Docking Station and right into the hustle and bustle of the city, stopping every few moments to make sure that Evie was still following him. He headed confidently toward the city trade offices, a place he must have been hundreds of times before. In his younger days, he had often done trade runs to Mognerth on behalf of Zocrone. Even though he hadn’t been for a while, he felt confident that there would still be Mognerthian trade officers there who recognized him.
He was right. As soon as he walked into the trade office, a tall Mognerthian looked up, and his three eyes widened in surprise.
“Toryx Keizer, is that you? We weren’t sure if there were any Zocronians left in the Seven Galaxies.”
Toryx smiled. “Hi, Xeywyn. There are quite a few of us left, actually. But there might not be for long. I’m assuming you’ve heard that Zocrone has been completely covered with severe storms for the last year.”
Xeywyn nodded gravely. The Mognerthian had put on weight since Toryx last saw him, but other than that he looked the same. He didn’t look like he’d aged a bit, which was one of the benefits of being Mognerthian. Their species lived a long time, and it took decades for them to age as much as most other species aged in a single year.
Xeywyn had the deep green skin that was characteristic of Mognerthians. His three eyes, arranged in a triangle on the center of his forehead, all moved in unison when he looked back and forth. He was tall, with a bald, rounded head like every male of his species.
Most Mognerthians were reserved by nature, acting formal and stiff around strangers. But Toryx had known Xeywyn for so long that the Mognerthian man treated Toryx like an old friend. Toryx hoped that that friendliness would extend to helping Evie and him.
“I need a big favor, Xeywyn. This here is Evie.” Toryx gestured toward Evie, who nodded at Xeywyn. Xeywyn nodded back politely, and then Toryx continued. “Evie and I escaped out of the stormy Zocronian atmosphere, but barely. Our main ship crashed and we barely made it out in the main ship’s emergency dropship.”
“So you need a new ship,” Xeywyn said.
Toryx smiled. “Yes. You catch on quickly. The only problem is that we don’t have money for a ship. We’ll have to buy it on credit.”
Xeywyn frowned. “But all you have to offer as collateral is Zekkardite. And everyone in the Seven Galaxies says Zocrone is done for. No one can get in or out, so certainly no Zekkardite is getting in or out.”
Toryx felt his heart sinking. He’d had a feeling that this would be the answer he received. The Mognerthians were known as fair traders, but they rarely offered credit without serious collateral behind it. He was going to have to find a way to convince Xeywyn that an offer of Zekkardite was serious collateral.
“Zocrone’s storms won’t last forever, Xeywyn. They never have before. This season has been longer than usual, yes. But it will eventually end. If you give me credit for a ship and water supplies now, I’m sure that the Zocronian Chief will reward you handsomely when it’s possible to ship Zekkardite out once again.”
Xeywyn let out a long sigh that didn’t sound promising. “Look, Toryx. You and I go way back, and I like you. You know that. But you also know that I can’t just extend credit without solid promises that it will be repaid. And what you’re asking me for will require a huge amount of credit—much more than what I would usually offer to one person. If you want credit, you need to find a way to reassure me that these storms will cease soon. Otherwise, I can’t do it. The Mognerthian trade commission will be on my case about it, and not only that, but I’ll be the laughingstock of all the Mognerthian traders.”
Toryx glanced over at Evie, who had been completely silent during this whole interaction. Even though she wasn’t saying anything, he could tell that she was worried. Her brow was deeply furrowed, and her face was going pale again.
Toryx felt his heart sinking. He had to find a way to make this work. It wasn’t just his best friends in the world back in Zocrone. It was Evie’s best friends. He could already see the heartbreak written across her face at the realization that they might not be able to get the ship
they needed, and he couldn’t bear to see that heartbreak realized. He had to convince Xeywyn somehow, even though the odds seemed impossible.
After all, Evie had already beaten impossible odds to get them out of Zocrone. Now it was his turn to beat impossible odds to get them back in—with a new ship and plenty of water.
“Xeywyn, listen. This is a special situation. An entire race is at risk. If I don’t get a ship and some water, the Zocronians will all die. Surely, you Mognerthians are willing to have some mercy in a situation like that.”
But Xeywyn was shaking his head. “I’m sorry, old friend. But if I made exceptions every time a race in the Seven Galaxies was threatened with extinction, I would be out of business within a year.”
Toryx clenched his fists. He knew that what Xeywyn was saying was true. Alien races came and went in the ever-shifting fabric of the Seven Galaxies. And if the Zocronians disappeared, no one would truly care.
He knew he only had one option. He was going to have to figure out a way to convince Xeywyn that the storms would stop. How to do that was a complete mystery, but Toryx was going to figure it out. He drew himself to his full height, and leveled his piercing gaze on Xeywyn.
“I’ll find proof that the storms will end. Just give me a day or two. In the meantime, start finding me a ship and some water. I want a Class Z cargo ship filled to the brim with as much portable water as it can hold.”
Xeywyn raised an eyebrow at him. “No offense, friend, but that’s a lot of work to go to if you don’t find the proof I need. Are you sure you can do it?”
Toryx nodded. “You have my word. And you know I never go back on my word.”
The Mognerthian considered this for a few moments, and then nodded. “Okay. Then I’ll get to work on it.”
Toryx exchanged a few more pleasantries with the man, and then left with Evie trailing after him. She still looked uncertain, but she didn’t speak until they were far away from the trade center.
“Toryx, are you out of your mind?”
Toryx shrugged. “Maybe. But this is our only chance. I know the Mognerthians well, and I can tell you that they don’t negotiate. Once they make their minds up, that’s it.”
“But how are we going to possibly convince them that we can guarantee the storms will end. For sludge’s sake, Tor. We don’t really know ourselves if or when they’ll stop. This weather pattern has been so unusual.”
Toryx turned to look at Evie, putting his hands firmly on her shoulders. “I know this doesn’t seem doable. But we’re going to do it. I’m going to find a way, because the whole population of Zocrone is depending on us. I’m not going to let them down.”
Evie took a deep breath and nodded, but Toryx could tell she felt defeated.
He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little bit defeated as well. It had been a long, dangerous journey to get to Mognerth, and it looked like their success was far from guaranteed.
But he was going to be strong for Evie’s sake.
He hadn’t had a chance to explore his feelings for her yet, and it was slightly awkward that he’d kissed her twice now and they hadn’t talked about it. But he knew for sure that they would explore these feelings, and soon. He hadn’t intended to kiss Evie. It had just happened because he’d been so overwhelmed with emotion.
He’d realized that he’d been keeping his feelings for Evie bottled up inside for a long time. He’d denied to himself that he felt anything for her, and for a while he’d been successful at that denial.
But in those life or death moments during the escape from Zocrone, it had been impossible to hold back anything. The truth deep inside of him had bubbled to the surface, and the heat he felt when his lips touched Evie’s had seared the taste of her into his heart forever.
He would have loved nothing more than to find a secluded spot and make love to her right now, celebrating the fact that they were still alive.
But making love would have to wait. Toryx and Evie were still alive, but Zocrone hung in the balance. How could Toryx worry about his own heart and his own feelings when so many others would die without his help?
“Come on,” he told Evie. “Let’s find a hotel where we can set up camp and figure out what our next move is?”
She nodded again and followed him with a sorrowful look on her face.
Screw it. I can’t stand to see her so sad. Who can blame me if I want to wrap my arms around her and comfort her?
The real question, though, was whether Evie wanted Toryx’s arms around her, or whether she’d only been putting up with his romantic advances because of the unusual situation they’d been in over the last few days.
Toryx decided then and there that he was going to find out before leaving Mognerth. He couldn’t stand the sadness in her eyes.
Zocrone wasn’t the only thing that needed saving. Evie’s heart did too, and Toryx was determined to save it.
Chapter Six
Evie kicked her shoes off and dropped her small backpack onto the floor of the modest hotel room. She’d spent the last hour efficiently shopping for some clothes and other basic necessities, including a brand new Quasar brand backpack. Quasar bags were all the rage in the Seven Galaxies right now, and Evie had sprung for one of the less expensive models. She figured if she had to spend money, she might as well get something she liked.
And she’d had no choice other than to spend money. She hadn’t stopped to pack any supplies before Toryx and she escaped Zocrone. She’d had some stuff on board the Starburst, but that had obviously been left behind when they abandoned ship.
Evie looked around the hotel room, feeling a bit nervous to be sharing it with Toryx. It was a small but clean room, and instead of more traditional beds it had two sleeping pods—giant white cylinders you climbed into and closed behind you that offered a soft, climate-controlled and soundproofed place to lay your head at night. Evie would be completely closed off from Toryx while she slept, so she didn’t know why she felt so nervous. He’d been right when he said they should save money by only getting one room, and they were both grown-ups. It’s not like they couldn’t handle being in the same room even though they were different genders.
But that was just the problem. Evie wasn’t sure that they could, in fact, handle it. Neither one of them had brought up the fact that they’d kissed on the ship. It had been on the tip of Evie’s tongue several times, but she’d eventually decided to keep quiet since she herself didn’t know what to say.
She was attracted to Toryx, but did she really want a long-term future with him? And even if she did, was that what he wanted as well? Evie felt confused, and so she kept her mouth shut, waiting for Toryx to bring it up first.
Perhaps he wouldn’t bring it up at all. Perhaps the kisses had been in response to the life-or-death situation that had now passed. Or perhaps he had been attracted to her but only on a very basic, physical level. A stubborn man like Toryx probably didn’t want anything permanent with anyone. He seemed like the type who liked to have a little fun but didn’t want to settle down.
Besides, they had a lot on their plate right now. Finding a way to convince the Mognerthians to loan them money for a ship and water was a lot more important than figuring out their love lives.
Evie saw that Toryx was sitting out on the patio of their hotel room, flipping through screens on his e-assistant. He was sitting in the Mognerthian version of a patio chair: a sleek, rounded metal shape that was large enough to accommodate a wide variety of alien species. The Mognerthian hotels had to be accommodating to all sorts of shapes and sizes, since aliens from all over the Seven Galaxies came here to trade.
As a Zocronian, Toryx was significantly bigger than the average human male, but he still didn’t fill out the chair completely. There were some alien species that were so wide they looked like giant blobs, and the chairs were meant to accommodate them as well.
Toryx is no blob. Evie paused a moment to admire him. He hadn’t noticed yet that she’d returned from shopping, so she could
look him over without him realizing it. She’d admired him from afar dozens of times before, but looking at him after he’d kissed her felt different. He’d awakened a desire in her that she hadn’t even realized was there. His tall, muscular body beckoned to her. His scars made her heart flutter. She even found his furrowed brow sexy. He was tough. He’d lived through a lot, and he still kept on fighting. And now, he was fighting for his planet. For his friends. For her friends.
And for her.
Evie tried to swallow back the rush of hot desire that filled her, but it wasn’t easy. How could you deny your heart what it wanted, especially when what it wanted was a tall, handsome alien with a fighting spirit?
Nevertheless, Evie did her best to act casual as she sat down in the sleek patio chair positioned directly across the patio from Toryx’s. She looked out over the city instead of looking at him, taking in the view which was admittedly spectacular. Sunshine filtered through the thick treetops in kaleidoscope-like patterns, and flowers in deep jeweled hues offset the emerald green of the leaves. The buildings were all tastefully constructed, their smooth stones blending well into the natural landscape. But the real star of the scenery was the network of azure rivers snaking through the city. Canoe-like boats of every color drifted up and down each river, taking tourists, traders, and other businesspeople to and from hundreds of destinations. It reminded Evie of pictures she’d seen of the famous twenty-first century Earth city known as Venice.
“Crazy, isn’t it?” Toryx asked, the first to break the silence. Evie hadn’t wanted to interrupt him because he’d looked like he was concentrating deeply on something when she came in. But now, she looked up at him and nodded, trying not to focus too much on how handsome his face looked in the glow of the soft Mognerthian light.
“It’s beautiful.”
Taken by the Alien Rebel Page 4