Caged And Bound

by Daniella Wright

  After crash landing on a strange planet, and realizing she is the only survivor from her crew, Kara reasons that all she can do is try to survive. This becomes simultaneously harder, and somehow easier, when she's captured by an alien warrior by the name of Kajin. Kept essentially as a pet until his elders can decide what to do with her, Kara finds herself fascinated by the extra-terrestrial, and it seems the feeling is mutual. Taboo though it may be, the spunky astronaut finds that she may end up in a situation that is out of this world.

  * * *

  My gaze lingers out the portside window, taking in the sight of stars as far as the eye can see. Though the expedition was launched some time ago, and we've been exploring the vast expanses of space sometime now, I feel as if I'll never grow weary of the sights that surround us. I press my fingertips gingerly to the glass, the artificial gravity in the ship keeping me grounded. This whole experience has been a dream come true, though as far as space travel goes, most would consider my team's experiences rather boring. Taking samples from the occasional asteroid, testing the atmosphere when there's a shift noticeable by our ship's systems. Somehow, however, I know that something big will come from this mission. Someday, mine will be a household name.

  “Kara,” a familiar masculine voice calls out, and I can only roll my eyes disdainfully as one of my crew members jogs towards me. If you could even call Clark Lowell a member of my crew, considering he only managed to dig his claws into this mission through our personal relationship. What had once been a very personal relationship, I’m forced to acknowledge. It lingers at the edges of my mind at any given time, the past Clark and I share together. It’s hard to ignore, considering how much he presses the issue. It’s quite obvious to anyone from an outside perspective that he’s not over our past relationship, as much as I’d like to leave it just there; in the past.

  “Clark,” I reply amicably, planning to keep the conversation short. He offers me a boyish grin, one I had fallen for in the past more times than I care to admit. I won’t be so foolish now, however, and his smile simply grates on my nerves.

  “I’ve been trying to get a chance to talk to you, in private. Seems nearly impossible to get a moment to ourselves on this crowded ship,” he hums, and I refrain from pointing out that there is a good reason I won’t let him catch alone. At least, I haven’t until this very moment. Perhaps I’m growing lax. Praying for a reason to escape this situation, I’m allowed salvation in the worst possible way. The ship’s collision alarm begins to blare loudly, and I offer Clark the most apologetic look I can muster before darting away to the navigation station.

  “Status report, Dennis,” I say swiftly, watching the map that lays out our intended path.

  “Incoming asteroid field. The ship should be able to handle it, but I’ll put the emergency shields up just in case,” Dennis Royale replies, sounding utterly bored by the situation. I nod, able to make an extremely large landmass that lies beyond the asteroid belt.

  "And that is…?" I begin, waiting for him to fill in the blanks. He seems distracted, however, growing more interested in the ship's status report.

  “Oh, uh. Looks like some sort of small planet. I would run a scan to check the habitability, but the shields command is glitching out. Give me a moment, please, Captain,” he says in a mutter. I nod obligingly, stepping away to give him a moment to deal with the situation. I glance towards the bay window, eyes widening as I make out one of the asteroids we’re on a collision course with. The blue-tinged glow of the emergency shields appears around the ship, and I’m able to draw in a relieved breath. However, moments later, the shield dissipates entirely.

  “Dennis,” I call out, trying to contain how alarmed I feel.

  "One moment, Captain," he calls out, though his voice is strained. The emergency shield flickers back on for a moment remains alight for a few beats but dissipates moments later.

  That's when the first asteroid collides with the ship. I'm thrown off my feet by the force of impact, and the gravity simulator begins to falter as well. Before I can hit the ground, I'm lifted into the air by the opposing gravitational force. Dennis clings to his station, his feet rising into the air in a manner that would be comical if not for the, pardon the pun, gravity of the situation. I curse under my breath, propelling myself through the air as best as I am able. The lights begin to flicker, and there is a loud crashing sound the ship takes another devastating hit. The alarms have reached a new peak of volume that I have never experienced before, and I have to cover my ears in order to save myself from being deafened. I feel a hand wrap around my wrist, and I look to the side just in time to see Clark watching me with a steely expression. Though he should rightfully be the last person I want to see and would be under normal circumstances, I can only hope his military will prove useful in some way or another. His lips are moving, but I can't make out the words. I squint at the man, shouting for him to repeat himself. I pull my hands away from my ears, struggling to make out his cries above the excruciating sound of the alarms.

  “Critical… going to crash… escape pod,” He says, at least, that’s all I’m able to make out. I watch as Dennis continues to desperately struggle with his station, his expression fearful when it becomes obvious that nothing he can do will stop the inevitable.

  “We can’t leave them,” I shout, trying to move closer to Dennis. The other members of my crew are nowhere to be seen. I can only hope they can make their way to an escape pod, but before I can catch Dennis’s attention to try and guide him to the pods, the gravity simulator jolts back on, slamming all of us to the ground. I hit the metal hard, groaning softly from the impact. I’m pulled to my feet moments later, with Clark dragging me to the emergency bay. “Clark! The others,” I cry out, but if he hears me, he gives no indication. I struggle against him, but he easily overpowers me. He shoves me into the emergency bay, checking the gauges beside the door.

  “The planet… set a course,” he shouts out, gesturing to one of the escape pods. “I’ll get… others,” he assures me, and truthfully I’m in no position to doubt him. Trusting him for perhaps the first time in years, I throw myself into the nearest pod, tapping on the keys to set a route to the planet we had scoped out on the navigation screen. The chances of the planet being habitable are small, over one in a billion, nearly impossible on a scale that most could not fathom. However, it is our only chance. I seal off the pod, thrown against the front as another asteroid smashes into the main ship. Taking my chance, as it is likely the last one I will have, I engage the escape pod thrusters and sink to my knees as I’m propelled away from the ship. My mind is spinning, guilt tearing at my insides for not making certain that my crew was safe. I can see the ship outside the small window of the escape pod, engulfed in flames and crashing towards the same planet I’m hurdling towards, though it’s likely our crash scenes will be miles apart. I strap myself in the escape pod, bracing myself for the oncoming impact.

  The escape pod hits the ground hard, and my head smashes back against the metallic wall behind me. I cling to consciousness as much as I am able, not knowing if I will survive falling unconscious. However, I’m helpless to stop the darkness that washes over me.

  I don’t know how much time passes in my state of unconsciousness, but as my eyes flutter open and my brain catches up to the rest of my body, I realize I’m agonizingly hungry. My body aches, but nothing seems to be broken, so I unsnap my harness and fall to the floor of the escape pod in a heap. It strikes me that I had not seen another escape pod break off of the ship, and it’s quite likely that I’m the only survivor of the crash. Guilt washes over me, and tears stream down my cheeks as I slam my fists against the floor of the escape pod. Pain washes over me, but it’s nothing compared to the pain inside. The crew had trusted me to lead a successful mission, had trusted me with their lives. Instead of helping them, I had bailed out as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

  The most remorse of all washes over me as I realize Clark is likely dead as well. If he did what
he intended, and tried to save the remaining crew members, it was unlikely he could have made it to an escape pod in time. Though I didn’t want to be in a relationship with the man, I certainly didn’t wish death upon him either. Especially considering the fact that he was the sole reason I was still alive…

  However, as I remain on the floor of the escape pod, I realize that getting absorbed in my own self-indulgent pity will accomplish nothing. Though there was only a margin of a chance that I would survive stepping out of the escape pod, I knew there was no chance of surviving if I remained within. It would only be a matter of time before I starved. At least if I venture outside, there's a small chance… some minuscule chance…

  I shake my head, taking a moment to raid the supply storage in the escape pod. The food supply that was supposed to be tucked inside was inexplicably missing, and I muse that one of the crew must have raided it. The thought crosses me with slight scorn until it strikes me once more that I am the lone survivor. I wipe a tear away, cursing myself for how emotional I'm being. There would be time for mourning later, once I had a better handle on my situation.

  Continuing to take stock of the supply storage, I note that though there’s very little in the way of food, there is at least a hunting knife tucked inside, as well as some flint. I don’t know how useful either will be, but I tuck them into my belt, hesitating a moment before closing the storage bin. It’s growing increasingly hot in the escape pod, and I realize that if the planet is indeed habitable, I will at the very least have to make a more suitable shelter. The oxygen supply is running low, and if I remain in here much longer, I’ll suffocate before I even have the chance to starve. I must have been out longer than I realized.

  I rise from my crouched position, turning to face the door that could lead down either of two paths: a path of survival, or a path of suffering. Knowing that I can’t put it off any longer, I press my palm to the scanner that will open the door. The door opens with a woosh and, holding my breath, I take a step beyond.

  CHAPTER TWO

  I’m not sure what I expected to see when I stepped out of the escape pod, but being surrounded by acres of lush forests was low on that list. Not that I’m displeased by the development, I’m actually quite relieved to find that I can draw breath unaided. My first plan is to build a shelter of sorts, which should be relatively easy considering how much lumber I’m surrounded by. I feel stuck in some sort of uncanny valley, where my surroundings are remarkably similar to what I’d see on Earth, yet different in a way I can’t quite place. I can’t allow myself to get caught up in the excitement of the situation, however, as survival is my main goal. I turn back to the escape pod for a moment, considering going through the supply bin for a final time, just to be sure I had not missed anything. My eyes widen as I see a humanoid figure stalking towards me in the reflection of the glass, and I roll to the side just as a fist swings towards where my head had been just seconds prior.

  My eyes are wide and uncomprehending as I take in the figure, with ashen pale skin and dark eyes that seem to see right through me. He’s obviously male, or at least whatever the equivalent would be on this planet. Before I can consider him too thoroughly, he lunges forward and I’m forced to engage him in combat. He moves swiftly, with ease, as if he had been fighting for years. I manage to hold my own to a point, but find myself overpowered in an almost embarrassingly short time. He holds my wrists above my head with one hand, and I notice, not for the first time, the gun-shaped weapon on his hip. I could try to make a break for it, but I have no doubt that he would shoot me down before I had made it even ten feet. He speaks to me in a language I don’t understand, but I remain silent, glaring daggers at the man. He hesitates for a moment, tapping a button on his helmet. A light washes over me, and I realize he’s doing an impromptu analysis. He speaks again, this time in English.

  "Follow me," he says gruffly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He releases me, and once more I debate making a run for it. He seems to recognize this though and gestures vaguely to his gun. Our eyes meet, and his eyes narrow almost daringly. I scoff, decidedly trailing after him as he begins to lead me through the forest. The flora and fauna are astonishing, creatures of the like I can't even begin to describe. Colors unlike anything I had ever comprehended, features that made little sense but seemed to have a place on this planet. I only wish I had time to study the creatures, but it seems at this rate I'll be lucky to survive the planet's day cycle.

  He leads me through the forest for what feels an eternity, but I have no way to gauge the time. When we emerge from the trees, I spot what looks to be buildings similar to earth skyscrapers, yet somehow not. They’re too advanced, too high tech for what you would see on our planet, even with the advances we’ve made in the years prior. He greets a guard in what must be his mother tongue, gesturing towards me. The guard considers me for a moment, his expression blank. After a moment, he steps aside and allows us entry into the city. I’m not sure what to expect, but I have scarcely any time to consider my surroundings before I’m taken to a building which seems to focus more on structure stability than architectural appeal. He presses his palm to a pad that rests beside the door, dragging me inside.

  “I can walk just fine, thank you,” I spit venomously, but he ignores me. We come to a room that is sectioned off by a force field of sorts. He touches another pad, typing in some commands before tossing me inside. The force field flickers just long enough for me to be thrown in, before locking back into place. I realize that this must be some sort of holding facility. “You’re just going to leave me?” I demand, and he fixes me with an ever blank expression before slipping away. It seems that this is my new home for now.

  I don't know how long I spend in the cell, pacing from one end to the other. It feels like an eternity, but it's impossible to tell time. There's no clock in the cell, though I have no idea if I'd be able to read it, in any case. I spend most of my time alone, though there is the occasional guard who peeks in and provides me with a strange platter of food. I can only liken the food offered to earth's crustaceans, and I have a deadly shellfish allergy. I don't want to take my chances, though the differences in the DNA of the creatures are likely stark. I don't speak to the guards, and they don't attempt to engage me in any way. They seem vaguely disdainful about my presence, and I don't make a point to make myself a more proper guest. If they want to treat me like an animal, I won't be wasting my kindness on them.

  I’m lying on the cot I’ve been provided when a familiar face appears outside my cell. Recognizing it as the male who captured me, I narrow my eyes as he drops the force fields and steps inside. He wordlessly takes me by the arm, leading me out of my cell. Once again, I’m essentially dragged to my destination like some sort of fool. He walks me into another room, this one dimly lit with some sort of restraint chair in the center. I fight against him, but he narrows his eyes dangerously at me. His gun is ever present on his hip, and as much as I’d like to continue fighting, I suppose I may as well see what these bastards have in store for me. I’m pushed into the restraint chair, jolting in fear as metallic bands snap around my wrists and ankles. My captor approaches me, holding some sort of leather-like band in his hand. He wraps it around my neck, and I realize with a start that they intend to collar me like some sort of animal. I struggle uselessly, and the slightest of shocks radiates from the collar against my skin. I curse, though he seems not to recognize the gravity of the words I’m spitting at him. He simply watches me with some small measure of interest.

  The bands slip away from my wrists and ankles, and I leap to my feet. My captor quirks a curious smile, offering his arm. I look at him with narrowed eyes, and he breathes an exasperated sigh.

  “The collar is to keep you from straying too far. It has a tracking device embedded as well. If you would follow me,” he says, his words amicable but his tone leaving no room for argument. I hesitate before dropping my head. I trail obediently after him, relieved at least to be allowed to walk on my own two feet. />
  “Where are you taking me?” I inquire softly, and he hesitates for the briefest of moments.

  “To my home. The council wanted to kill you, but I argued that would be a wasteful notion. I’ve been entrusted with the duty of watching you until the council decides what your fate will be,” he says brusquely. My eyes widen in fear, but he seems not to recognize the emotion, turning his back on me and walking ahead. The collar begins to shock me, growing more intense the further away he gets. I jog to catch up, tugging anxiously at the strap around my neck.

  “At the very least I deserve to know your name,” I blurt angrily, falling into step beside him. The shock leaves a lingering tingling in my nerves and it’s not something I want to grow accustomed to.

  "Names are of little importance to my people. We typically refer to one another through identification numbers. However, Kajin is a nickname I had as a child. It's the approximation for the phrase righteous one in my mother tongue. You can call me that, if it pleases you," he says mildly, and I want to curse how calm he is. However, I realize that the best option, for the time being, is to play nice with my captor. Though I'm not exactly pleased to have been captured, I suppose I should be grateful that he did not allow me to be put to death. However, though he did not say as much, it's clear that death is very much a viable fate for me at this point.