“No,” she barely managed, forcing the image of her mother from her mind, pushing the reminder of her mother’s death from her thoughts. “No!”
The shuttle banked again, lifting even higher into the air. Ariella choked back a scream as the blood drained from her face. Her eyes widened and she tried to scream again, but nothing came forth. She felt her belly wrenched as the craft spun and began to lose altitude.
Then something happened to her in the moment she felt the craft dip. A myriad of emotions assailed her, more so than ever before in her life. It was as if something sparked within her, causing her to feel more than she would have thought possible before this moment. It was so much so that she swore she witnessed a bright orb before darkness consumed her.
* * *
“Are you okay?” The voice was muddled.
Ariella’s brow furrowed as she slowly opened her eyes. Delvin’s voice reverberated as he repeated the question. She blinked, attempting to clear the haze from not only her eyes, but her mind as well. She clasped her brow, fighting the excruciating pain assailing her. She felt disoriented and upside down.
“Ugh,” she groaned, closing her eyes again.
“You’re bleeding,” he observed.
The small crack in Delvin’s voice was the only thing that betrayed how shaken he was. He seemed otherwise calm as he examined her wound. She opened her eyes and tried to focus. Her vision was still blurred and she felt dizzy. Had it not been for the seat belts, the crash landing would have been much worse. She fumbled with the harness, but it wouldn’t budge.
“We need something sharp,” he said, searching for anything with an edge.
“I think we can wiggle ourselves out,” she suggested. When she made the attempt, the harness tightened. “Crap, that’s not going to work.”
The captain peered around and then regarded her. “Don’t panic,” he whispered. “But I think we’re not alone.”
She glanced about the shuttle as far as her limited vantage allowed. “Are you sure, Sir?”
“Over there,” he jutted his chin. “Something moved.”
She followed his gaze, seeing nothing but plants. She craned her neck, straining to take in more from her precarious position.
“Sir, do you think there’s any power left in the shuttle?”
“Let’s see,” he replied, testing the buttons.
The engine sputtered and then died.
“There might be something we can try,” he said, gazing over at her. “When I engage the engine, you release your harness before the power fails again.”
She nodded, placing her hand near the button. Her fingers trembled, as they stood ready on the small square release. When he engaged the engine, her fingers froze. She tried to press the button, but the engine sputtered and died before she managed to make contact.
Delvin instructed her to take a deep breath before he made another attempt. This time, Ariella gained control over her movements. She grunted, grasping the sides of the seat as she fell free. After dangling in the air, she released her hold, landing on the roof of the inverted shuttle.
“Now, let me unclasp yours,” she told him. She leaned close and placed her hand on the release. “Now go!”
With a loud snap, the harness gave way.
Her smile faded. She felt the hairs on her neck prick up and immediately assumed a defensive posture.
“Are you okay?” Delvin’s voice was etched with concern.
She feigned a smile and nodded. Her eyes intently studied their surroundings before focusing once again on Delvin. The captain was more than twenty years her senior but his features gave no hint of that age difference. They had worked together for five years, and in that time, never had he lost his composure or strayed from his training. She had not realized how much that affected her. She drew from that strength and appreciated it even more so now.
“Let’s see if we can salvage the shuttle,” he suggested.
He clapped her on the shoulder, moving towards the piles of debris. He opened a hatch on the wall labeled Weapons Storage. Choosing a Laz-Dar gun, he tried adjusting the settings on the weapon. It would not engage. He squeezed the trigger and tried again.
“Dammit!”
He replaced the weapon and opted for the lightning whip. When he pressed the red button on the handle and uncoiled it into the air, nothing happened. He continued to lash out with the whip several more times to no avail.
“Son of a—,” he stopped, releasing a deep sigh. “We have no power and no weapons.” He gazed over to her and tossed a field knife to her. “Pray we will have no need of it,” he said, moving towards the hatch.
The hatch snapped open and the whine of the hydraulics echoed about them. He crawled free of the cabin, motioning for her to proceed. She took a sobering breath as she analyzed the damage to the shuttle. Despite her throbbing head, she felt herself blessed. The cabin had sustained significant damage during the impact. She was amazed they had survived.
“What the hell just happened?” she whispered under her breath, as she crawled free.
Her mind struggled to figure it out. She remembered thinking of her mother as the shuttle crash-landed on God knows where. She missed her mother and even more so now. All she had was her work. She was an only child and her mother had passed when she was a young.
Her eyes closed, as she was once again overwhelmed with the memories. She had enlisted for her father, however, he had been lost on a mission and her sole purpose was to find him. That was the reason she took this job with Delvin. Now, it seemed for naught. How could she save her father when she herself needed saving?
In the past seven years, she had travelled extensively throughout the solar system but had found no trace of her father. Logically, she understood the universe was vast and the odds of finding him were remote. However, logic did not find her heart and that is what drove her, that and her determination. Though they had traveled many galaxies in their missions, there were many more they had not yet visited. It was possible that he was somewhere she had not yet been. She was never going to give up on him nor herself.
“Ariella!” Delvin’s voice snapped her back to the present.
As she pushed the hair from her face, her mouth gaped at the beauty of the landscape. Never had they seen such a place. Her gaze was drawn to the crystal roses. Those she had heard; however, their description paled to the reality. The giant rose tree with transparent petals held her gaze. The tree’s purple leaves were overshadowed by the crystal-like rose petals. She took a step forward, almost entranced by the beautiful sparkling flower. As goose prickles sent a chill through her, found herself mesmerized by the kaleidoscope of colors cast by the rose.
Delvin surveyed the damage to the shuttle and the devastation left in its wake. A ragged furrow plowed through the dense shrubbery and dirt patches was further than the eye could see. He was standing akimbo with his head tilted to one side. She followed his gaze, noticing some significant damage to the hull as well.
He walked over and smiled wistfully, reaching out and caressing the shuttle. His fingers traced the deep dents and gashes. He was not usually an emotional person, always standing resolute and commanding. This was different. His ship was lost and the shuttle was in near disrepair. These were his children and he would mend what wounds he could.
“We’ll be fine,” he said, trying to convince himself almost as much as Ariella.
No sooner than the words left his mouth when a jarring screech coming from the craft caused him to fall back a step.
“What—what was that?” she whispered. “And where are we?”
“I don’t know,” he answered, scrutinizing their surroundings.
Captain McTaggart moved closer to the shuttle, tapping on the hull. They knew then where the screech had come from when the outer shell of the shuttle split apart and crumbled into pieces at their feet.
“Step back!” He said, wrenching her away from the shuttle as the pieces fell. She could see how distraught he was as
he stared at the mangled pieces.
“Does this mean we’re stuck here?” Ariella asked, halting him in place. Her voice sounded calm, but panic consumed her.
“No,” he said, but she knew he answered too quickly.
She nodded and then looked around at the flora, her gaze once again drawn to the crystal roses. This place reminded her of earth, except that the colors of the plants were different. There were patches of dry and barren land that appeared more like a desert. Similar to earth, there were patches of flourishing greenery and pools, much like an oasis.
“There must be some types of animals here,” she said mostly to herself. “This can’t be a forsaken planet; it’s beautiful.” She smiled, admiring the scenery.
He raked his fingers through his brown crop, “You’re right,” he conceded. “Let’s see what we can find.” He tapped his Rem-Com device. “It seems we have another problem.”
She looked at her own device. The screen was blank. There was no signal from any of the components. She tapped the screen again, receiving the same result. They both knew the implications of that. Without the shuttle’s instruments or the devices, there was no way to communicate with anyone or call for help.
She peered at their surroundings and then shielded her eyes, gazing towards the bright sky. There appeared to be two suns or moons, but she couldn’t be certain. Using that as a guide, Ariella noted one path to the east and another north. Although, that, too, was uncertain. They had no way of knowing their direction, and no guidance system to properly aid them.
When the captain moved towards the eastern passage, Ariella stepped forward.
“Sir, don’t you think we should assess the area before moving forward?” she asked, stooping to pick up some loose dust and examine it.
He sighed. “That’s a good idea, sub-commander.”
The gray dust clung to her fingers like a magnet. She raised her hand to her face and then shook the dust loose. Beneath the thin layer of dust was hard gray rock. Her head cocked as she moved tentatively towards the rose tree and lush shrubbery at the edge of the clearing. She examined the root of the plants, following their winding path. She gave a bemused smile, seeing the roots embedded in the rock.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, kneeling next to her.
“There appears to be rock beneath,” she said, inhaling deeply. “Have you noticed how easy it is to breathe here?” She inhaled again, closing her eyes.
“Yes,” he nodded, also taking a deep breath. “Let’s continue our search,” he said, helping her to her feet. “We can’t remain out in the open; it’s not safe.”
“Is something the matter, Captain?”
“What do you mean?”
“You seem anxious, Sir, like earlier on the ship.” At that moment, she recalled his previous words. “What was it you wanted to tell me?”
He cleared his throat and began to respond, but the words seemed to hang in his throat. His mouth hung agape as he gazed past her. She looked at the horrified expression on the captain’s face before turning. Trembling, she shrieked, falling against him.
A creature stalked forward, answering her shriek with one of its own. It stood nearly eight feet tall, with gold-colored eyes and ears that came to a sharp point. She shook her head, pressing herself closer into Delvin’s rigid body.
The creature advanced as the fin-type creases on its neck raised and lowered. Her hand moved down to her empty equipment pouch and then grasped the knife Delvin had given her. The bulging muscles of the creature gave the appearance of a human or what a human would be had he the skin of a reptile. She knew that whatever the captain had to say could wait. She crouched and assumed a defensive posture. Both brandished their weapons, facing the oncoming creature.
The creature snarled, baring his long pointed yellow teeth and lunged at them. They dove to the side. Ariella fell face down, the clingy dust covering her face. Delvin grabbed her wrist, snatching her up and began running towards the north path.
“That thing… what the hell is it?” she shrieked.
“I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out.”
They were already panting, and her lungs began to burn. Her knee stung where she had fallen, but they couldn’t stop with the creature in close pursuit. The further into the brush they ran, the denser it became. The plant’s leaves appeared to shift colors as they passed.
They ran until their legs would no longer carry them. Unable to calculate the miles they covered, both grew weary.
When they stumbled, the creature slowed its pace, stalking forward. Slaver dripped from its mouth as it snarled, advancing on its prey.
She grabbed a branch and wielded it like a sword. Gazing from the creature to Delvin, her heart pounded in her chest. How she wished they had a proper weapon, anything that could take this monster down from afar. The knives were useless.
Once it came to within six feet of them, both raised their ersatz swords. As they readied for the attack, something dropped from the trees, knocking the creature to the ground. Her eyes widened. She saw flashes of golden colored skin and long black hair on a creature that appeared to be humanoid. They moved back a step, witnessing the battle between the creatures.
The humanoid creature was smaller; however, he was strong and agile.
“I think there’s another one,” the captain said, moving them to a higher strategic position.
“Is that a human?” she asked, straining to make out the images.
The dark haired creature wrestled the other one to the ground. Grunts of exertion rang about them as the struggle continued. Then, in an instant, they were still.
She gasped as the smaller humanoid creature spoke. At least she thought it had. The language was garbled and she couldn’t understand it.
With what sounded like a grunt, the smaller creature stood, allowing the other one to leave. The horrid thing slithered away into the bushes.
He is human. Her eyes were seeing but her mind refused to believe. When his gaze met hers, she sucked in her breath. He stared at her with golden almond-shaped eyes. They sparkled like pools of molten gold glinting in the sun’s light. His features were angular with pointed ears that matched those of their attacker, but smaller.
His garb resembled a type of sweat suit worn on earth. The top was open, exposing his toned chest. She expelled a breath as her eyes travelled over his defined biceps and pecs. She admired his torso and the sculpted V-line that snuggled beneath the loose-fit of his trousers.
The alien sauntered towards them. With a nod from her captain, they dropped from their perch. Ariella noticed his height nearly matched Delvin’s six foot, three inch stature. She licked the sudden dryness from her lips, unable to turn from him.
“Ungubani? Kutheni ulapha?” The alien said in his language. (Who are you? Why are you here?)
To her, it sounded like a question because the pitch of his voice rose on the last syllable. His deep, rich voice seemed to rumble from his chest. The tone was pleasing, causing a feeling of euphoria to erupt within her.
“Greetings,” The captain began. “I’m Captain Delvin McTaggart of Alpha unit 12-A17 of earth space vessel Demac-109.” He offered, tilting his head. “Introduce yourself, sub-commander.”
“Hel—hello,” she stuttered. “My… name... is... Ariella, Ariella Vega… sub—sub commander,” she stammered slowly and loudly.
“Kungani na ukuba nize apha?” He asked again. (Why have you come here?)
Ariella smiled, “I think he understands.”
“We come in peace,” Delvin smiled with his reply. He was uncertain of their customs and did not wish to cause offense.
The alien looked at him, “Wena àbanamkela apha.” (You are not welcome here.)
“Thank you,” Delvin replied. “Do you have a repair station?”
“Do you understand what he’s saying, Captain?” she asked, noticing the expression of the alien unchanged.
“No clue, but he seems friendly.” Turning back to the alien, he
asked, “Do you have a bathroom?”
Chapter 2
The alien, Mirsux, listened to their prattle with amusement. He thought them to be obviously an inferior species, yet he found the female enchanting. Her eyes sparkled and the contours of her body gave hint to the fertility cycle. That trait made her a special specimen.
This was the forgotten planet Nabalar, located light years from earth. He studied them, realizing they could not comprehend his words or know of their location. It would not take long for his species to process their language. Unlike the earthlings, the Nabalarians were adaptable to any species and environment. Additionally, they had the translator, a device that could transcribe any language.
He allowed them to lead him to their shuttle. The hull was shattered and there were earth goods scattered around it. He wasn’t sure what they were asking but it seemed they would need assistance if they were to leave Nabalar.
The female was speaking, “Can you help us repair our shuttle?”
Mirsux could feel the pulses in his brain processing her speech. The assimilation process was not complete but he was not concerned. The language was primitive and easily mastered. However, he needed more, not only of the language, but of the earth woman as well.
“Ungubani igama lakho?” He asked, feeling his heart beat out of rhythm.(What is your name?)
Ariella looked at Delvin, “Do you know what he just said?”
“No, maybe he wants to know what happened.”
“What if he doesn’t understand us?”
Mirsux observed the humans interacting, and noticed how the female tucked her hair behind her ears. There was a small wound evident near her hairline. He looked downward from there to her sculpted cheekbones and full lips. Her white teeth were small and even, and her voice was as smooth as silk.
When she turned to look at him, he was enticed the fullness of her emerald eyes.
She pointed first to him and then to the shuttle, saying, “We need your help to repair our shuttle.”
Awakening: The Prince of Nabalar (The Princes of Uvieroein Book 1) Page 2