by Layla Stone
Ansel walked by each of them, turning off their blockers. Sci noted that the four males didn’t worry about him having access to their minds, nor the images he sent them.
To himself, he decided to send them more graphic photos to instill a respectable amount of fear. He was, after all, a Cerebral.
Rannn pointed to one of the males. “To your corners, and on my command, attack.”
In unison, they confirmed the captain’s command. Sci mentally took in the four males and waited for Rannn to count down.
“Three…two…one.”
Sci tried to attack all four. His bandwidth didn’t extend to that many, so he systematically chose one after another until he had a hold of three. The fourth male stunned him half a dozen times before Sci was able to bat away the weapon. The male chose instead to use his fist and hit the side of Sci’s head hard enough to knock him over. Hard enough to make Sci stop his mental attack on the other three.
The side of Sci’s head stung, a pain he remembered from when the cyborg had done the same thing to him. In that moment, Sci used his telekinesis to push the male back to the other side of the wall.
The Federation member had been moved so fast that it made the other three hesitate to attack Sci.
“I did not tell you to stop!” Rannn yelled.
The remaining three used their stunners against Sci, and he was unable to block their advances, unable to hold onto a mental attack as he was attacked himself. And to his shame, he fell unconscious again.
He woke up with Ansel above him waving a small vial back and forth in front of his face. The smell was offensive.
Rannn, the only other person in the room now, peered down at Sci. “I thought Ansel took away your telekinesis.”
Rubbing his head, he admitted, “He did. I am not at full strength, but I have been practicing every day to move things farther away. My mind is trying to repair itself."
Rannn glanced at Ansel and then back to Sci. “Your inability was a contingency on keeping you on this station.” He didn’t look pleased.
“I did not hurt him,” Sci admitted.
“No, but now the admiral of Pegna thinks that you’ve been faking and that you are planning an attack.”
Sitting up, Sci asked, “What are the ramifications of what happened today?”
“It will be added to your file, and the Yunkins who judge your case will have access to it. Rannn does not think it will negatively affect their decision. It might even be a benefit,” Ansel said.
“But until that happens, the admiral has demanded that you be secured in your room at all times.” Rannn said.
Sci didn’t respond.
“By the way, I heard what you did for Sasha and her exams.”
Sci nodded absently. It was logical that Rannn would know about what he and Ansel had been up to. The tone in his voice suggested he was pleased about it, too.
“Her results have been uploaded into her file,” Ansel said quietly as if he were afraid someone might be listening in.
Sci narrowed his eyes. He didn’t see the results in Ansel’s mind. He was upset that Ansel had been able to keep that from him.
“We were able to determine her DNA, she’s a Kooyon,” Rannn said. Sci was surprised.
Ansel spoke first as Sci watched the Numan’s mind do the fluttering thing. “I didn’t know there were any left in the Federation. I have not read about anyone meeting them in years.”
“As it should be. Their planet is on our side of space,” Sci said, wondering why the Federation officer didn’t know that.
Maybe they need to read their archives.
Now, Rannn looked surprised. “They have a planet?”
“It’s old and dying, which is why they have been seeking out other colonization alternatives. Last I read in the Cerebral archives, they’d found something in the Altart System.”
“Where?” both Rannn and Ansel asked.
“Again, on my side of space.”
Ansel was too far inside his head to hear Rannn say, “Damn, I’m going to have to put that into her file and update the Federation archives. This may end up as a strike against her. Federation law does not integrate OutWorlders into our ranks, and the only way for her to be accepted would be if the admiral allowed it.”
Sci hoped not. “And her other half is human, also undesirable to the Federation. How bad will it affect her internship if she is rejected from being a pilot?”
Rubbing his mouth, Rannn answered, “She will have to pass every test and train faster and better than anyone else to prove herself or they will not see the advantage of allowing a new race in as a Federation member. If she doesn’t excel, she will be released from her responsibilities and returned to Lotus Nexis.”
Sci liked the sound of that. All he had to do was hope that everything fell apart for Sasha at the right time. “When is my legal caucus?” Sci asked. Time was running out for both Sasha and him.
Rannn shrugged. “The admiral will not tell me.”
Pegna’s admiral was not someone who had concerned Sci until now. Until the admiral’s decision, being the highest-ranking member on the space station would determine what happened to Sasha. And Sci had to be ready to leave with her when that happened.
Sci debated telling Rannn his motives. After a few seconds of deliberation, he said, “If the admiral releases Sasha, she will come with me.”
Ansel tilted his head. “Would she be accepted on your planet?”
Ansel had asked the one question Sci couldn’t answer, but he also knew that if she weren’t accepted by his people, Sci would find a place for her. Not that it was an option. He was going to do what he could to keep her. “I will not be without her.” Not now, not when he had become so accustomed to her. Her thoughts, her Terran emotions, everything about her called to him.
Rannn studied him before saying, “It’s good to have a backup plan. But I’m assuming you didn’t discuss this with Sasha.”
“No point in bringing it up until it’s relevant.”
Rannn’s lips curled with a calculating twinkle in his eyes, “No there’s not.”
Chapter Twenty
The Admiral
“Hey,” Sasha greeted Sci as she walked in. He had left for training again like he had every day for the past week. Her instruction had been put on hold because the admiral had yet to sign off on her training course. Having nothing to do was making Sasha crazy. So much so that she physically shook with excitement when Sci returned from working with Captain Rannn. She preferred Sci in the room with her.
The talks and the snuggling all added up, and Sasha knew her addiction to the Cerebral was growing. She just wished the future weren’t so horrible to think about. No matter how she plotted or played it out in her head, there was no future for her and him together, and that always depressed her.
As he walked past, she scanned his body, the form she’d had against hers at night. The warm flesh she wanted to do dirty things to. “You’re awake. That’s better than being carried in here drooling on yourself.” When he cut his eyes to her, she held up her hands. “I was kidding.”
“I know.” But his tone didn’t sound pleased by her joke.
“Okay.” Putting her empty plate aside, she said, “How did it go?”
The cabin door slid open, and an unknown Yunkin soldier forebodingly stood in the door frame. He pointed at Sasha. “You will come with me, FAVII.”
“Where are you taking her?” Sci stepped in front of her, holding out his hand to keep her in place.
The Yunkin said, “You will get up now, intern.”
Taking Sci’s hand, Sasha pulled herself up and let his body heat bring her some comfort. This didn’t look good. It was probably her meeting with the admiral regarding her training exercise, but after everything, she would rather have a decision than wait another day wondering. Squeezing Sci’s hand, she lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed the side of his cheek. His body stiffened next to her,
but Sasha thought it was adorable. “It will be okay.”
The Yunkin led Sasha to the exclusive section where the admiral lived. Sasha couldn’t keep still in the private conference room. She tried to contain her energy by crossing her legs and letting one foot shake out the excess nerves.
Rannn was next to enter the room. Sasha tried to smile. “So, this is it, huh? We find out one way or the other if I’m worthy.”
Rannn took the seat next to hers. “You’re worthy, this is about finding out if the admiral is smart enough to see that.”
The center of Sasha’s chest blossomed.
The two sat quietly until two Yunkins and a Bolark walked in. The Bolark was much shorter than his Yunkin officers. His eyes were reptile yellow, and his nose was wide and flat. His face was a light green that faded to dark and then black at the back of his head. His skin was smooth and shimmered slightly as all Bolark scales did.
“Admiral,” Rannn greeted the one in the middle by standing up and giving him a short head nod.
“Captain Rannn,” the admiral said slowly as if the captain’s name were flesh-eating bacteria. The two other officers didn’t sit at the table but remained standing by the door like sentinels. Sasha looked them up and down, wondering if they were there to protect or to bear witness.
The admiral’s condemning gaze dissected Sasha. “You are the intern pilot?”
Standing up, she answered, “I am.”
The admiral sat down at the opposite end of the table in the seat closest to the door. He smacked his thin lips before saying, “I have reviewed your file, the entirety of it…including the most recent addition of your Kooyon bloodline.”
Kooyon bloodline?
Sasha leaned forward to object but felt the captain kick her ankle under the table. Using all her willpower, she closed her mouth and leaned back, making a mental note to find out why the admiral thought she was a Kooyon.
“As impressive as that may be, your internship will not be extended to this station. There have been no records of a Kooyon ever taking up Federation service. And since you are half human, the results could be catastrophic. I am not willing to take that chance on my station. You have two days before I get the approvals for your termination, then you will be transported back to Lotus Nexis.”
She could feel herself frowning, unable to stop herself. Rubbing her mouth to cover the emotion, she took in her situation. Her failed mission.
Going home meant that she’d failed her mother. She’d failed the Federation, and lost her dream of flying among the stars. It also meant that her time with Sci was over. She would never see him again. And she realized she didn’t want to leave him.
Rannn cursed, then added, “You’re not going to find a better pilot, not in the whole Federation.”
The admiral’s nostrils flared, his green skin lightening to yellow, something that only happened when Bolarks were angry. “I will not tolerate your tone, Captain. You’re a subordinate.”
“I’m not the one ignoring the value of a unique opportunity. Out here in the corner of space, months away from another living planet or station, you’ve lost your edge. You’re complacent, assuming that nothing will ever happen to you. But let me assure you, that is not the case, and the only difference between living through those dangers and dying is who you can turn to when those moments happen. And the only people you can turn to in the spit of darkness is your crew. Don’t you want to be confident that you have the best the Federation can offer?” Rannn said.
Sasha watched the admiral sneer down at the captain. “Is that the lesson you learned after losing the hundred crew members on the Angny planet? Did your crew save you? Because I read the reports, and it didn’t say anything about Pax, Yon, or Ansel saving anyone. In fact, your special crew died, one by one, until there were only four of you left.” The Bolark straightened his shoulders. “This is my ship, and you will give me the respect my position demands and accept my decision.”
Rannn stood up and leaned forward. “Your stupidity will kill you and your crew.”
Sitting back, the admiral hissed. “This is my space station. This falls under my authority, and you will accept it.”
“Everyone’s entitled to their bad decisions.” Rannn’s voice shook.
Sasha’s respect for the captain grew rapidly. She realized she was going to miss him, too.
The admiral stood up and addressed the soldiers behind him. “You will both report on Captain Rannn’s hostile attitude.” To Rannn, he said, “You don’t control me or my station, despite your best efforts. I don’t answer to you or anyone else.” The admiral gave Rannn his back and left.
Rannn pulled back Sasha’s chair so she could stand up. “You will be forced to remain in your room unless escorted by a Federation member.”
Unable to respond in words, she nodded. A tidal wave of dread, guilt, and uncertainty filled her until it leaked out with every shaky breath. Keeping herself contained on the walk back through the rounded hallways, she hoped that the captain wouldn’t say anything else. She didn’t have anything more to give at the moment.
She didn’t really know what she was going to do now that she was headed back to Nexis.
Rannn didn’t enter when they arrived at her cabin. Sasha was visibly shaking when she stepped in. Pointing to her head, Sasha whispered, “Did you…? Can you…?” She wanted Sci to know what had happened. But her throat was clogged with emotional rocks.
“I saw what happened.” His voice was strong, and it urged her feet forward.
Chapter Twenty-One
Exquisite
“Good, because I don’t want to talk about it.” Sci watched her move numbly to his cot and shove the Minky pad aside. She laid down and programmed the large Minky screen to display a documentary on Federation plants.
Sci crawled into the cot behind her and pulled her against his chest. He had spent the past week with her body against his, and now it had become a necessity. This was the first time she had been shaking, though. He didn’t know what to do other than hold her tighter.
“Don’t worry about the future. It will...”
“Shhhh.”
Her mind was quiet, dank, and dark. Sci wanted to soothe her. His own emotions rioted inside him. Logically, he wanted to be happy knowing that he would be able to take her with him now. But at the cost of her dreams, it felt like an empty win.
He slid his arm around her stomach and pulled her back into his chest. Her hand slipped into his, and she threaded their fingers together. A deep surge of need enveloped him. Desire for something he couldn’t name or understand.
Sasha let go of Sci’s hand, rolled over to face him, and ran one finger across his lips. It was soft, delicate, and nice. It also stirred his blood.
Leaning forward slightly, she pressed her lips against his. Sci caught the image in her mind of how she hoped he would react. He followed her mental pictures and pressed his lips harder against hers.
A soft moan escaped as she inched her body closer to his. She slipped her hand behind his head and threaded her fingers through his hair. The sensation caused his body to shiver.
Following her mouth, he hesitantly opened his, and her warm tongue moved in, making his body come alive. He reacted on pure carnal instinct, taking and returning. It was intense, and then she pulled back to breathe deeply. Her eyes were dark, and her mouth seemed urgent to return to his.
It was as if something had unlocked a part of his mind, body, and soul. A need greater than he had felt previously overwhelmed him. It astounded him how amazing she felt against him. He knew he would need this forever.
“Hold on,” she said, pushing his shoulders back. He couldn’t understand fully what she was saying and thinking. His mind completely focused on the moment. He watched in awe as she pulled her shirt up and off in one quick motion.
It was a feast for his eyes. Sasha’s perfectly peach skin was now visible, allowing him to peruse. “You’re exquisite.” He lean
ed down and kissed the crook of her neck, her chest, and everywhere he could reach on her exposed skin.
Next, she unlatched the contraption she wore around her breasts and threw that on the floor, too. It was a new sight for Sci and a whole new sensation. He touched one hardened bud hesitantly, finding it soft and pliable. He rubbed it between his finger and thumb, stopping when an explosion of pleasure in Sasha’s mind echoed into his.
“Don’t stop! Please, don’t stop.”
Controlling her pleasure through physical activity was a new experience for him. As a mental race, he was not accustomed to tactile acts. He returned to the same peak and rubbed it gently. He moved to the other and received the same response from Sasha, fueling a need in him and her that was almost impossible to ignore. A desire that made him grab both breasts, their soft warmth inviting him to squeeze them gently. Sasha hissed, pushing her chest farther into his hands.
It was incredible. Brushing his thumb over Sasha’s skin caused a series of mini-bumps to erupt over her flesh. He leaned down to look closer and ended up pressing his lips to her warmth.
Sasha’s heart was pounding. It mimicked Sci’s own. The rush of need was coming to a sharp point. He needed more. So, he took more. But he wanted additional time to get to know every inch of skin, every dark brown spot across her collar. He left kisses as he explored. He didn’t rush anything; and the slow burn that Sasha was feeling made her moan.
Inwardly, he grinned. Until Sasha’s mental pictures turned to the undignified images he had seen in Ansel’s brain. He hesitated. “Sasha?” He wasn’t sure if he could go through with it.
With her lower lip clenched between her teeth, she said, “It’s okay. I understand. We’ll stop.”
“I didn’t say stop, but sex between us would be difficult for me.” Yet he was feeling too good to stop. He loved touching her and feeling her. Her sounds were permanently locked in his memory. He was conflicted.