by Zara Zenia
"Of course I do. He's the ruler of a planet, and an alien," said Chera. "I thought he hated Terrans though. This doesn't make any sense."
"Why are you so worried about the princess then? She's one of our captors too, don't forget. Just because she treats us well, it doesn't change the dynamics of what we are to her."
"She didn't choose to have slaves. It's part of the culture she lives in. You wouldn't know about this since we never talked about it, but Pari was always incredibly good to me. You came to the palace later than the rest of us, so you didn't get a chance to know her in the same way."
"You're her slave, no matter how she treats you," said Jaia defiantly. She was newer to all of this and still fought against her lot in life. It made sense. No one wanted to be forced into serving an alien species, or even people of their own species.
"I know we are technically slaves, but it's not like things used to be back in the old days on Terra. Surely you've noticed that by now?"
"I don't know ... but if you put it that way, no, nothing's like on Terra. From what I've heard, the two worlds are so different that there's no point comparing."
"And yet, things are still the same between our two species despite that."
"I understand why you're worried about the other women. You knew them better than me. You had time to become friends with them. But why do you love the princess so much?" asked Jaia, relenting a little and allowed Chera to explain herself.
"I was in military school training to serve in the Qetesh."
"The Milky Way Galaxy Military? Really? That must have been tough. I had no idea you were the fighting kind of girl," said Jaia with obvious admiration on her face, as well as some shock at learning this.
"I was intent on being the best I could be. Then, well, you can probably guess what happened before I was able to graduate from my training and become a fully-fledged Qetesh soldier. I was abducted and then sold to the palace in Jatra.”
"And that's why you like these Hjott bastards? You just said it yourself, they bought you from your abductors. That kind of thing shouldn't be legal in any advanced society. These aliens, all of them, they're savages. No matter how much technology they have and how advanced they seem—you must know that, Chera."
With a deflective shrug, Chera continued her story. "The princes, though, well Pari is just such a lovely girl. The Hjott women aren't like the men. You wouldn't have had the chance to interact with many of them—"
"None, really. I was told that many of them die giving birth. That doesn't stop the men from knocking them up the first chance they get though, does it? You'd think they would reconsider having so many children if it meant death for their poor women."
"It's the women who want to be mothers more than anything, to be honest. The men of course love their children. They have to raise them as single fathers after all. But when you're really driven to create life like that, I suppose the risks don't seem to matter as much." Chera was impressed with herself by how wise she sounded. She hoped some of her knowledge was influencing Jaia.
"Fine, so the princess is nice."
"She has always treated me more like an equal than a slave. There's no reason she has to do that. It's always been a personal choice to be kind to us, even when others were telling her to stop being so generous and lenient. Trust me, I've heard stories about slave owners who you would never want to be sold to, not even in your worst nightmares." Chera knew she was turning this into a lecture instead of a discussion. Her strong feelings for Princess Pari urged her to keep driving her point across. The girl was almost like a little sister to her, or maybe even more like a daughter. Of course, she kept those ideas strictly to herself. If others found out they were so close, she might be taken away from the princess and given to who-knew-who.
Once they had caught up, the women decided to get some rest. There were some books in the Hjott language, which Chera had taught herself to read since being on Jatra. Jaia went to sleep, but Chera found her mind wandering too much to focus on the alien language before her.
She felt helpless about the kidnapped princess, let alone her friends. They were out there somewhere in the big emptiness of space. Why were their lives filled with being taken like objects and pushed around like that? Couldn't they just live as they chose without these violent alien men intruding on their personal rights? She didn't even feel like her body was her own anymore. They'd taken that very basic dignity from her, and the whole situation stank.
She was reading a book about the different planets and settlements in the Vada System. It wasn't a coincidence that she had chosen that book. And it hadn't been a random selection. Even though she loved Princess Pari, ever since she was taken away from the military training academy, she had dreamed of escaping. Or maybe she would one day be given her freedom.
If either of those things ever happened, Chera would go out on her very own ship and settle on one of the moons. There were some that were inhabitable by beings like herself. It was even rumored that there were human colonies within reach. Suddenly a vision flashed in her mind. It was a shock to her system: She was with Thras, in a home of their own on a moon settlement. But he would never leave his people in Jatra. And she would never choose to stay on the planet of those who enslaved her. So how could that be?
In the vision they were a couple, and she was holding a baby in her arms while he fawned over them both. The little baby—she didn't know if it was a boy or a girl—was half human, and half Hjott.
She wondered if that were even possible. It didn't matter, since she did not like the king in that way at all. He was a cold, callous man who treated her like she was just another possession on top of all the other things he owned.
And it also didn't matter, because nothing could ever come into fruition between the two of them. Because she didn't want it to! Also ... because she was just a human slave, and he was an alien king.
Chapter 7
Thras
He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for how he had treated the Terrans back at the palace. He had been so completely indifferent toward them. It was as though they weren't even real people. Would it have been so difficult to possibly smile at them occasionally, or maybe thank them for their hard work in serving him? They had emotions too, just like he did. Some of them were young women, not really that much older than his beloved sister Pari. In just a decade or so, she would be around the same age as the latest slave Jaia.
Of course, it was against proper etiquette for him to fraternize with the human women. But that didn't mean he had to ignore their existence entirely. No, that was all because of his own shame about being attracted to their species. Thinking about it now, he knew it was the behavior of a coward. If there was one thing he truly detested, it was cowardly behavior.
Of all the things that had happened during his eventful time as a king, having feelings for a Terran woman was the least expected. He knew it was just his uxormea making him feel that way, but it was hard to fight something so powerful within him. That didn't make it any easier to fight.
He spent hours laboring over the decision, but he could not put the thought out of his mind anymore. Thras went and politely knocked on the door of the humans.
"Come in," said Chera.
"I want… may I please have a word with you in private?" he asked her upon entering.
"You can talk in front of both of us, surely?" she asked.
"Very well. Will you accompany me to the dining room? I was about to go there myself."
"You want to take me to dinner? Seriously? Why?"
He hadn't expected her to fire back a series of questions. Thras was used to people simply agreeing to whatever he said. "I do not know ... to eat?"
Chera shook her head and laughed a little. "Well, I do need to eat I suppose. Would you be mad if I said no?" The other woman was smiling as though she wanted to laugh too.
"You can say whatever you wish," he replied. "I would appreciate your company, however."
"Hmm. Can Ja
ia come too then? Think of her as my chaperone," she said with a smile. It might have been a joke, but Thras wasn't familiar with human wit.
"Oh no, I have some duties I need to attend to," said Jaia.
The smile on her face made it seem like she wasn't being serious. Thras had heard humans enjoyed humor more than the Hjott, but he didn't know what was humorous about a simple dinner invitation. He felt his face growing flush again.
The two of them went around the ship while Thras showed her the various areas. He explained to her that they planned to keep moving in the direction the kidnappers' ship was last seen heading. They would go until they came across a planet or space station. It was likely that the aliens would need to stop by then. The Vada Shadow would land too, and they would hopefully be able to rescue Princess Pari and the three Terrans.
He brought her to a large console that had a radar on it. Pointing toward the display, he showed her the next location they were headed. "This is likely the path they are still taking. There are no other suitable places to head from Jatra, as far as my crew are concerned."
"And you really trust their instincts so much that you would travel blindly into space on a hunch?" asked Chera with incredulity.
He had expected her to be impressed by the tour of the ship. It was one of the best in the galaxy. He would not have trusted the safety of his own sister to any other vessel. Chera, he assumed, was mostly just concerned about the safety of the four kidnapping victims. Her level of compassion was difficult to become accustomed to. It made him feel like an unfeeling savage a lot of the time. Yet, it also helped him to feel at ease with his own newfound emotions.
So many things to process in such a short time. But that was what being a ruler was like, and he knew he would find a way to deal with the situation. One way or another.
They shared a simple meal in the dining room. It was far from what he was used to. He had a feeling it was also far better than Chera was used to. He watched her enjoy the simple soup and fried meat with a side of steamed vegetables as though they were a luxury.
"This is good," she said. "We usually end up with gruel or meat that's somehow still chewy and dry after being boiled all day."
"I am glad that you like it," he said.
The guilt at her reaction to such basic food was intense. He lived a lavish lifestyle with the best of everything, while this woman was treated more like cattle than a person.
"I do," she said while finishing off another large mouthful. She had quite the appetite for a woman her size. It was impressive. "Although ... I feel bad for enjoying it while knowing Princess Pari, Marta, Nisa, and Fera are probably locked away in cells on an alien ship."
Thras hadn't even thought about what they might be eating, if they were being fed at all. He had already devoured his own meal. His portion had been enormous in comparison. Hjott men ate much more than humans, which went without saying. And to think that he had secretly grimaced at the quality of the food on the ship. It had to be kept simple so they would have enough for the long journey. Still, there was plenty to go around, and the crew did their best even though they weren't trained chefs.
"You're right. We should be very grateful for this food. Your empathy impresses me," he let slip.
At that, the woman simply went quiet and finished her meal without making much eye contact again. It was clear that she didn't want to give the impression that she reciprocated his feelings of adoration.
She hates me, he thought once they had parted ways. After that, he went for a walk and looked through a view-screen that displayed the universe around the ship. He could not stop thinking about Chera. His uxormea wouldn't allow it, for starters. There was also more to it than that, he was beginning to suspect. Despite her circumstances, she had remained dignified, honorable, and willing to stand up for those in need. It was as though she was a warrior herself. Such a feminine beauty but with great fire in her heart. He had to have her. There was nothing else to do.
And he was the king. If he wanted to claim his fated mate, what was there to stop him? Surely, she would be flattered. Who wouldn't want to become a queen? He wouldn't have to mate with a Hjott woman who would likely die if they were to have a child. Perhaps he would be the first in his family to have multiple children from the same wife. It would be a boon for the royal family, and for the entire people of Jatra.
Later, Thras beckoned for Chera to come to his quarters alone. Her posture was rigid, and her lovely blue eyes darted around the room, landing everywhere but on him. "What did you want me for?" she asked shyly.
"I wanted to ask if you have any wishes for your own life. Other than being a servant, I mean," he said. He welcomed her into his quarters, which were much larger and more luxurious than her own. He had an expensive bed that was nearly as big as the room she shared with the other slave.
"Of course I do. No one chooses to be a slave!” Her face softened. "Would you really like to know about my dream?"
"Yes," he said. He was seated on his bed, and he asked her to take a seat too.
She didn't want to. "If it's all the same, can I remain standing?"
"Of course."
He took a breath then said, "You could have your own life, be a free woman. If you would be my mate."
Chera looked like she wanted to simultaneously laugh and cry. "Are you ... what ... I ..." she stammered while crossing her arms in front of her perky breasts. "You're joking, aren't you? I didn't think your people had such a good sense of humor."
"I am not making a joke."
The fear on her face was almost heartbreaking. She was going to reject him, and he would never have a mate. But she walked over to the bed coyly. "Is it still alright if I sit down? My legs are shaking. I feel like I'm going to faint. That feeling is becoming old fast." She sat down, way over on the other corner of the bed.
Thras was used to getting what he wanted. He took this as a gesture that she was willing to accept his advances. He reached out a powerful arm and drew her closer. It would have been easy for him to lift her entire body off the floor with just one hand. She pushed him away at first, but then seemed to move toward him of her own will. He kissed her, and she returned the kiss too.
It was the single most electrifying moment in all his life. She did want to be with him. Her body was warm, and she pressed herself against him now.
"Wait a minute," she said at last, pulling away from him. She held her arms out to keep him at bay and he allowed her to. "Do I have a choice in this decision?"
Just like that, Thras lost all hope that she was willing to be with him. He thought she must have been hiding her passion for him. Perhaps she had felt something like his uxormea too. He dismissed her, not wanting to force her into anything.
Chapter 8
Chera
She left his chambers in utter disbelief. That man was obviously just a spoiled rich brat beneath all the macho exterior. He acted so dignified and stoic. It was just that though: a big act!
"You're back a lot sooner than I thought you would be," said Jaia as her roommate came back through the door. "Did you strike out?"
"Please, that's not funny right now," said Chera. She knew her friend was only playing and tried not to snap at her.
Noticing Chera's look of worry, Jaia stopped with the jokes immediately and stood up. "What happened? Did he do something?"
"No, nothing like that. Well, yes actually. Only, it's—oh, I don't know what just happened to tell you the truth." Chera proceeded to explain exactly what had gone on in the private room of the king.
"So you agreed, and then he rejected you?" Jaia was dumbfounded to. "All because you asked if you had a choice?"
"It's like he wants me to be the one who chooses him. The Hjott men have barely paid us any attention. They never make eye contact and act as if we don’t exist most of the time. I don’t understand what changed. Why is he suddenly acting as if I have a choice? As if I am now allowed to make my own choices? I’m a slave, aren’t I? I just don’t understand
what has changed.”
After sleeping, Thras woke up in a terrible mood. Everyone in the ship knew about it because he was being a total jackass. Jaia and Chera came into the command room to help with their routine duties. They found one very grumpy, almost seven foot tall baby. There was no other way to describe the man-child who had taken the place of King Thras.
He was busy bellowing at the crew, and Chera found herself afraid of him. For the first time she wondered if he was capable of violence toward her or the other innocent crew members. Jaia was particularly shaken when he told her off for practically nothing. The poor girl finished up as quickly as possible and retreated from the area, nearly in tears.
Chera wanted to cheer Jaia up after that whole scene. She told her that she promised to do absolutely everything in her power to find the princess and their kidnapped friends. "I just know that Pari will consider giving us our freedom after all this. If we can just endure the king's bad temper and find them, I think we could really have our own lives back."
Several more days passed without any more issues. The king didn't apologize though, which ticked Chera off. And then he called her into the bridge. She found him to be in particularly good spirits. He was excited, in fact, which was very unusual.
"Chera, I have excellent news!" he said with a raised voice.
Only this time he wasn't raising it to yell at everyone like a petulant child. He was happy. He was actually smiling! It was next to impossible for her to avoid being swept away with his good attitude. The way the creases on his forehead softened a little when he smiled really changed his whole face. His dark violet eyes were somehow a lighter shade if that was possible. They shone like diamonds now as well.
"Okay, what's your good news?" Chera asked hesitantly. She had grown accustomed to living with the mantra that no news really was good news. Hjott crew members were bustling about the bridge. Activity was higher than usual, and everyone was going a bit faster than normal. There was definitely something big happening. With her luck, they were probably all under attack by some gigantic spaceship full of a new type of horrible alien.