by Terri Lane
“Feel free to acquaint yourself with the ship. You have access to all areas apart from the piloting hub, you’ll need me or another pilot to escort you there.” Knor said.
“All right, we’re leaving soon then?” I asked. He nodded.
“In ten minutes, we’ll launch,” he said. Knor left me in front of my bunk and I let out a deep breath after he was gone. In my room, there was a small cutout which acted as a closet. It had a few shelves and a bar for hangars. I unpacked my garment bag and hung it up. Other than that, I didn’t see any use in unpacking anything else. Up in space I wouldn’t have a signal to call home, it would only be me, my old movies, and the crew…and Knor. Though, I knew that getting involved with a Bagarian, let alone the Commander of my transport crew, wouldn’t be too smart. I had to stay focused on my mission.
A knock on the door, brought my head around and I found Knor waiting on the other side.
“I wanted to tell you that your reading chair there, also acts as an anchor with appropriate harnessing should a launch or landing be particularly bumpy,” he said. He walked over to what looked like a sofa chair, then revealed the harness hiding underneath each of the chair’s armrests. “If you’d like, there is an extra seat in the pilot bay. You’d get a fantastic view of the launch and entering space,” he said. With the flirtatious way he was looking at me, and the almost sultry tone of his voice, I knew he was trying to charm me!
“Okay, sure,” I said. I couldn’t deny that I wanted to get the best views of space possible. It wasn’t at all often that I did space travel. Knor led me to the pilot bay. There was a huge view of space that extended above the seats, there was also a very long control desk. Four seats manned the control panels and four more were arranged in a semi-circle behind it. Knor sat me down in one of the passive seats and smiled at me before he went to command his pilots. Within five minutes everyone was seated, including him to my right.
“Vero, detach at your discretion,” Knor said. I kept my eyes pointed up at the sky while the ship gently moved backwards and angled up. My breath caught at the top of my lungs as the ship shot out into the sky. The midday blue turned to black and we were surrounded by stars in the distance…and satellites.
“Very soon, we will transition to warp and the space, for every star we pass, will turn momentarily white,” Knor said. I glanced at him and wondered faintly if he was putting some sort of ‘wonderment’ move on me. The more obvious his flirting became, the more I wanted to show his moves weren’t going to work on me.
***
Once the ship was moving at warp speed and I’d seen my fair share of starlight morphing around us, I got up to go explore.
“Would you like some company about the ship Representative?” Knor asked.
“No, I think I’d like to explore on my own for a little bit,” I said. Knor nodded and simply walked me to the doors. Once they closed I took a small breath and hoped to avoid him until we neared Bagar-1.
As I made my way through the ship I began to realize that all the crew members were male. There wasn’t one other woman on board. When I got back to my room I dug through my suitcase for the flash drive and pocket projector to watch a movie. I was halfway through an old classic, Forest Gump, when there was a knock on my door. Of course, it was Knor waiting on the other side.
“Sorry to bother you again, but I was going for lunch and wondered if you’d eaten yet?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m fine for now. But thanks for stopping by,” I said. Knor smirked and his eyes did a lazy perusal of my body. I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. I wondered when he’d start to get frustrated with me being hard to get.
“Alright, then perhaps you wouldn’t mind having dinner with me?” he asked.
“If it’s alright with you, I’d rather have dinner alone. I have an important job to do when we land on your planet. I want to use all the time I can to prepare for it,” I said. Knor licked his lips then nodded.
“I understand Aliya, I only wish to make you feel comfortable here,” he said.
“Comfortable?” I asked. I couldn’t help my small chuckle. Knor smiled and then started to back away from the door.
“Tomorrow then,” he said. I watched as he walked away before closing the door. I pressed play on the movie and then changed into clothes a little more casual than the pantsuit I wore to the Nations United meeting. I opted for dark jeans and a white button up blouse. I let my dark brown hair down from its tight bun and it curled around my shoulders.
While the movie played, I did go over my Bagarian etiquette and the talking points I prepared for both the Bagarian high master and high general. Before I knew it, three hours had passed and my stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten since my tiny breakfast.
I left the room, checking the hall for any sign of Knor, then walked quickly to the cafeteria. It was empty apart from two crew members eating together at one of the five round tables. There was a buffet style spread at the head of the room, behind it was a huge panoramic view of space whizzing by. I got a plate and filled it with food that looked most familiar to me, salad and other greens. I sensed someone step up beside me and glanced up. Knor.
“I’ve heard that some human women opt to eat entirely too much fiber in hopes of losing weight. I can’t fathom why you’d choose to do so?” he asked. I chuckled.
“I just don’t know what all the rest of this is,” I said. Knor nodded, his expression cleared with understanding. He pointed to a dish holding some brown stew like meat and I noticed that he’d changed his clothes as well. He was wearing casual looking grey pants and a short-sleeved t-shirt that had a Bagarian military emblem on the chest. His arms were well muscled and defined, I tried hard not to keep looking.
“That is similar to beef, cooked in a traditional Bagarian gravy. Those are actually roasted potatoes, seasoned with Bagarian spices. And though it’s green, this fish is like Earth’s tuna,” Knor explained. He pointed to each serving dish respectively.
“Ah…okay then,” I said. He stepped back slightly and let me spoon some tuna onto my plate. I felt the warmth of his body against my back and almost leaned into him on some weird instinct. We locked eyes as I moved to the side and I saw the faintest smug smile on his lips. I needed to be strong and not fall for his tricks. I quickly turned to go get a drink and have a seat. Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Knor finished piling food onto his plate and he went to sit with his crew. I breathed a sigh of relief and ate contentedly by myself.
I finished just as Knor did and we ended up meeting at the hallway entrance.
“Allow me to escort you to your room?” he asked.
“Alright,” I said. He looked at me curiously as we made our way down the hall. “What is it?” I asked.
“You aren’t…as I expected,” he said.
“What does that mean?”
“Are you attracted to men?” he asked curiously. I laughed.
“Just because I haven’t throw myself at you, as I’m sure many women do, doesn’t mean I’m not attracted to men.” I said.
“Then you are particularly ethical?” he asked.
“Knor, I’m just not like other women,” I told him. He pursed his lips while considering that. I laughed and shook my head at him. We reached my quarters and I stopped before opening the door.
“You are…beautiful Aliya Horowitz,” he said slowly. The smile spread across my face before I could stop it. It’d been a while since I’d gotten any romantic interest from a man as gorgeous as Knor. Mostly, it was because I’ve never looked up from work long enough to notice anyone. It wasn’t like I was ugly, I’d gotten all my mother’s best features, her big blue-green eyes, full lips, and thick hair. People often told me I had the feline features of most models, but I made a point to favor smarts and excel at a difficult job rather than profiting too much just on looks.
“Thank you, but I have a feeling you’re too used to getting women easily,” I said. Knor actually pouted. His lower lip peeked out jus
t a bit and he glanced away from me for a moment.
“Fine then, if you’d like me to put effort into wooing you, then I will,” he said after a moment’s deliberation.
“Only if you want to Knor,” I said, my tone sardonic. His eyes met mine and I swear they glowed.
“I want to,” he said, resolute. “Goodnight Aliya.” His hand reached towards my face as if he were going to touch me, but he didn’t. Instead, he walked down the hall and went into a bunk two doors down from mine.
“I’m in trouble,” I sighed.
***
At the sound of morning alarm, I woke to what smelled like bacon, coffee, and something sweet. Pancakes, or French toast maybe. When I opened my eyes, I found a tray on the nightstand with a full breakfast. There was a note tucked underneath a crystal paperweight. I plucked up the note and coffee.
I hope you don’t find this gesture intruding. It is meant to be sweet, enjoy. (There are no strange foods here, all you should recognize.)
I laughed and got up to take the tray to the reading nook. The coffee table held it better. Bagarian pancakes were like normal ones, but presoaked in syrup. I was glad they weren’t too drenched. After my breakfast, I got dressed, then ventured out to the recreational area. Knor was there, talking to a few of his crew. His eyes found me as soon as I stepped into the room and he excused himself.
“I hope your breakfast was good?” he asked.
“It was delicious, thank you,” I said. “Your note was funny too.”
“Funny?” he asked. “Well as long as it brought a smile to your face.”
“So, tell me…your relationships with women have been purely sexual?” I asked.
“No…I have a sister, and my mother still lives,” he said, smiling. A giggle came out before I had time to stop it. His smile widened. “I’m doing well with this then?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” I teased. Knor ran a hand through his silver blonde hair and sighed. Then he caught my expression and rolled his eyes, though he smiled.
“You know what,” he said.
“Well…I don’t know Knor. I’m not exactly inviting you back to my room, am I?” I asked.
He gave me a wolfish grin and a low chuckle left his chest. I felt it resonate all the way down to my toes. “Oh, I can get you to do that without fail,” he said.
“Really?” I scoffed. He stepped closer to me, so that we were only a few inches apart. I held my breath and glanced away from his intent gaze. There were a few people milling around, but it was as if they didn’t even realize Knor and I were present.
“Why do you look away?” he asked.
“No reason…” I said. He put his finger under my chin to turn my head.
“You aren’t breathing,” he said, smiling.
“Yes, I am,” I took a tiny breath to prove my point. But then inhaled his scent. He smelled like warm clean skin. Knor chuckled and I felt the slow rumble echoed in my chest.
“You aren’t,” he said, his face inching closer to mine. “I don’t feel your breath,” he murmured.
“Knor…there are people around,” I whispered.
“Well, seeing as you may faint from lack of proper oxygenation, I’m simply close enough to catch you,” he said. I smirked and almost leaned into him, but quickly caught myself and stepped away.
“You’re good…but not good enough,” I said, grinning. Knor stared at me in mild shock.
“I must say Representative, you are maddening,” he said.
“Well, maybe you ought to give up Knor,” I answered.
He shook his head slowly. “No, no…you are a prize.”
“A beautiful and maddening prize? I’d say those are the kind to stay away from,” I teased.
“Not hardly,” he said.
I turned away from him and walked to the bookcase for something interesting to read. The Bagarian’s most common language was similar to Latin. It was easy when Earth first contacted Bagar-1 to teach those Bagarians who wanted to learn English, and for humans to learn their language. The bookcase was stocked with a full range of books. From Bagarian philosophy, to romance. I smirked as I read the titles.
“Would you like a recommendation?” Knor asked.
“You’re still here?” I said.
“Where else is there to go?” he chuckled.
“I don’t know…you’re the commander here sir,” I said.
“I am commander. I should have Vero slow from warp so I have more time to woo you,” he mused.
“Knor we have a schedule,” I told him.
“Don’t they make jokes on your planet?” he asked. I rolled my eyes, smiling.
“Right, right…” I said.
“Really, you should think about relaxing a bit before we land on Bagar-1,” he said.
“Well, that’s why I came here looking for a book,” I told him.
“This one,” he plucked a book from the shelf and handed it to me.
“Lovers’ Embrace…” I read. He stared at me until we both gave into laughter. “Does any of the crew actually read this stuff?” I asked.
“Yes, sometimes we are out in space for weeks to months at a time,” he said. “Books are as much entertainment as any other form of media,” he added. I slid the book back into its place.
“I guess you’re right,” I said.
“Did you plan on reading all day?” he asked.
“Not really…I have movies I brought to take up time,” I said.
“I’ve never seen any show from Earth. Would you mind my company?” he asked.
“As long as you keep your hands to yourself,” I said.
“I am a gentleman, as they say,” he answered. I snorted and then headed back to my room, very aware of his presence.
***
Surprisingly, Knor honored my request and was on his best behavior as soon as we walked into my room. As I set up the projector, I realized that I was quickly breaking down in my resolve. There he was, getting comfortable on the floor in front of my bed. And I was shutting the door so that the full picture projected onto the wall instead of adjusting the projection size.
“So, what sort of selection do you have saved on that?” he asked.
“Ah…what sorts of things do you like to watch on Bagar-1?” I asked.
“Anything with good action,” he said. I smiled, he was like any everyday guy in that respect.
“Okay then…I’ll put on something called, Lord of The Rings. It has everything really,” I said.
“That sounds intriguing,” he said. I started up the first movie of the trilogy and then went to sit next to him. To my surprise, he got really into the movie.
“I like the hobbit folk. It is a shame, but honorable, that Frodo will take up such a gargantuan task,” Knor said. We’d gotten halfway through, just as the fellowship was formed.
“It takes courage and endurance, but it can be done,” I said.
“Will their group succeed?” he asked.
“I can’t give away the entire plot,” I chuckled. Knor smirked and he reached up to tug on one of my curls.
“How long is this movie?” he asked.
“There are three in the trilogy and each are around three hours, give or take,” I said. Knor smiled wide and then leaned back against my bed, making himself very comfortable.
“I suppose we’ll be in here a while then,” he grinned. I rolled my eyes at him. As we refocused on the movie, I realized he’d moved closer to me, our thighs were touching. He was so warm. I’d read that Bagarians had higher base body temperatures than humans, it was like he was running a high fever.
I kept catching myself leaning into him for his warmth. Every time I moved back, he’d glance at me with a smirk. Thirty more minutes into the movie, I dozed off. Knor shifting underneath me is what woke me up. We were stretched out on the ground and I was curled up to his side. I sat up quickly and looked at his amused expression with wide eyes.
“You are quite adorable in your sleep,” he said. “Also, th
e second movie started,” he added.
“I’m sorry…you’re warm,” I mumbled. Knor sat up and he caressed my cheek with his thumb, sending tingles across my skin.
“You don’t have to be sorry,” he said. “That felt nice for me as well.” Knor’s eyebrows drew together for a moment, as if he was confused. But then his gaze slid down to my lips and my breath got stuck in my throat.
“Do you think you’ve tortured me enough?” he asked.
“I’m not sure I tortured you…” I teased. His thumb traced my lips and he nodded.
“Oh, you have been. Ever since this ship launched, I’ve wanted you,” he said.
“Why? Just because I’m a representative from Earth, or because I’m the only woman here?” I asked.
“Because you are beautiful…and the representative chosen from all of Earth, going to Bagar-1 to do something our antiquated practices would only have a male do,” he said. His response surprised me, I was speechless. Before I had time to consider that, he kissed me. His lips were softer than I thought and his hands were decisive. He caressed my neck and brushed his palms down my collar, to the sides of my breasts.
He nibbled on my bottom lip and lifted me so that I straddled him. My core pressed snug against the bulge in his pants. My entire body heated up and I knew that sooner or later I’d have to get my clothes off out of necessity. Knor slid his hands underneath my blouse, against my bare back, and I shivered under his touch. His hands slid down to squeeze my bottom and he ground against me with just enough pressure to drive me crazy.
I slid my lips to his neck and nibbled on his skin, causing him to groan. Deftly, he slid my shirt off and undid my bra so he could cup my breasts. A surprised moan escaped my lips as he sucked a nipple between his teeth, and rolled the other between his fingers.
I moaned and slid my fingers into his silky hair. Knor secured an arm around my back and rocked forward, so that I was underneath him. He quickly whipped his shirt off and I took in his fully defined torso. My hands went right to the hard muscle and caressed him. I slipped my fingers beneath the waistband of his pants and Knor was quick to unbuckle it. I wrapped my fingers around his cock and freed it. As I pumped my fist along his thick rigid length, Knor buried his face in my neck and groaned. The sound resonated through me. He flexed his hips into my hand over and over. I wanted him inside me.