by Tracy Lauren
“Why did you live there?”
“My mother lives there. She is a member of the Governing Core.”
I explain to the girls this is their ‘origin planet.’
“Can we see all the systems that make up the United Planets?” Bossan strikes a few more keys on his control panel and a massive region of space is outlined on the screen. I am amazed. It looks like there are hundreds of planets within its borders.
“These are the sun systems they include.” Rennek adds something at a nearby control panel. “This is the space the UPC guards and patrols.” He shows us a larger area, “We are here now,” he indicates our location, “just beyond the border of the patrol zone is where Magna VII is, and our paths intersected on Magna VII’s red moon.” He shows us a small red dot. I regret not knowing anything about distances in space. It would be nice if I could compare how far we have traveled to the relative distance of things in our solar system, or the size of the territory they’ve shown us, for that matter.
I try to relay all he says to the other girls as he tells me. “Who were those… creatures back there?” I ask.
“Pirates, smugglers,” he says. “The race is called Ju’tup.”
“We’re humans. What about your race?” I ask.
Rennek looks stone faced. “Our people are products of war.” He looks away. Is he embarrassed? I don’t get the implications of what he has said. I hope I wasn’t accidently rude. I’m not trying to insult our alien hosts. I change the subject.
“And the UPC, is that like military or police? Is that what you guys are? Did you come to rescue us?” I ask.
“No, we were dealing with the Ju’tup--purchasing animals for biological research and we realized they had sentient beings as a part of their cargo,” he explains.
I start to relay this to the girls. They double take, “Research on animals? Is that what they intend to do with us?” April asks. My stomach drops.
“Rennek… are we to be used for… um… animal research?” I ask.
“By the Goddesses! No, my Kate! What the Ju’tup were doing is illegal! It is an unspeakable crime! It is simply not done, especially to females. Especially to females in the image of the Goddesses themselves!” He waves his hand at us.
“Ok, no on the research,” I say to the girls. “What do you mean by that, image of the Goddesses stuff?” I say to Rennek.
All the men look to one another. “You are in the image of the Goddesses, you must be their direct descendants--related to them in some way.”
“Yeah, I don’t know your people’s folklore buddy. Who are these Goddesses?”
“I do not know what is buh-dee.” He smiles. “I thought all beings knew of the Goddesses, the creators of the universe? You and your people are like them, in form and beauty.”
All the guys are looking at us… I take in their expressions and realization starts to dawn on me. I still don’t know who these Goddesses are, but apparently, we look like them and because of that they think we’re something special. I wonder if this could potentially be helpful to our situation.
Rennek suddenly looks solemn now. “I am so sorry my Kate, it is my deepest shame that I was unable to save the rest of your people. We sent a comm out as soon as we warped from atmosphere, the UPC will go after the Ju’tup ship---but it may be gone before they can arrive.”
“My people? What do you mean? Other humans were still onboard the pirate ship?”
“The cryo bags... lining the cargo hold of the Ju’tup ship. I do not know how many…” He starts, but can see on my face I am not getting it just yet. Then, I remember seeing them; all along the walls of the chamber we woke up in. There were large bags, they were white… no, they were filled with a milky fluid. Like the stuff we were covered in when we woke up. I didn’t fully take it in as it was happening, but in my mind’s eye I remember the room was filled with these “cryo bags.” How many women did we just leave behind to be raped or worse? Hell, was Earth invaded and did aliens take all the humans? I don’t know! I don’t remember anything after going to bed, anything could have happened.
“What the fuck is going on?” Reagan asks, likely responding to the horror on my face.
“Yeah, is it like no to the animal research, but yes we will eat you for dinner?” Allison asks.
“This is too much,” I tell them. “We need to get more of you understanding their language… there’s a lot to talk about… I want you guys to hear it too and I think we need to talk… humans only.”
“Oh no, is it bad?” Vivian asks with worry etched so deeply in her face I don’t know if she’ll ever be able to make another expression.
“Bad compared to what?” I try to say jokingly, but it falls flat.
“Rennek, there are more of those translation things? I’d like… my people… to understand as much as possible.”
“Unfortunately, there are only two more, my Kate. Our ship was not equipped for a situation like this. You must decide who would like the implant now and who would prefer to wait until we dock to receive a neural upload.”
“Is there a benefit to one over the other?”
“The upload is less painful.”
“Well, that’s certainly an incentive.” I turn to the girls, “Okay, who wants the worst headache of their lives?”
Chapter 10
Rennek
My Kate tells me two of the other females are ready for their language implant. She works to explain all she is learning from us, but there is much to tell and so much they do not seem to know. It is difficult to fill all the gaps in the human’s knowledge, it seems the more we speak the more gaps we uncover. They do not even know of the Goddesses! I wonder if her people are descendants of the creators of life and the universe, or if it is like Ju’toktah said and the resemblance is purely a coincidence.
All the while I battle this feeling building inside me. I am changed in the presence of my Kate. My core beats heavily within me; I am elated with a joy unlike anything I have ever felt before. When my Kate asked that we return her to her planet I thought I would crumble. I would do anything she asked of me, even return her to her home--but surely without my Kate, I would die. I do not know how I know this, it is as if an instinct within me is awakening. It is the bone deep knowledge: I need this female.
Being a product of war is difficult on many levels--I do not know the traits of my kind and therefore I do not have an explanation for what I am feeling or how it will progress. I think perhaps it is a mating instinct, but I have never before considered having a mate. All my life I have been consumed only with the idea of proving my honor despite my birth, but from the moment I saw my sweet Kate, the queen of her people, I felt a change beginning. It only took the sight of her and I was changed forever. I have become a slave to long buried instincts which are only now awakening within me. I wonder vaguely what set it off, was it her situation? Her distress and the desire to protect her? Or was it her on a biological level, perhaps her scent? I do not know the answers to these questions and there is no one to ask.
Regardless of the cause, I know she is mine and I am hers in any way she will have me. I would forsake all for her. I would follow her to the end of the galaxy and back. I would comb every planet and every moon searching for her home world, if that is what she wanted. I would turn my back on my proper family. I would end my friends if they thought to take my mate from me. I silently vow to do everything in my power to help Kate and her people. It does not matter if she feels the same for me or not. I will pledge myself to her and follow her all the days of my life if she will have me.
***
The two females who volunteer to get the implant are the more outspoken of the group, I notice. They talk much and ask questions to their queen. The language implants will help to make communication with the group easier and lessen the burden on my mate. Of the other three females, one speaks, but I see she is nothing but fear and worry. The last two are quiet. They were nude when they awoke from the cryo bags. I wonder if they we
re harmed at some point by the Ju’tup. I send prayers to the Goddesses in the hopes that that is not the case.
The two females take their implants. Both are sick, as my Kate was. Unfortunately, this way to receive language is more painful than a neural upload. It doesn’t take long for them to recover and while they do I am drawn to Kate’s side. I worry about her mental state after all she has been through. I stand as near to her as I can, because it excites the drumming within me, but I restrain myself from touching her. I refuse to touch her on the same rotation a male tried to force his touch on her. It must have been terrifying for my Kate. I shudder to think what could have become of her had I not been there, or if it had been a different set of bags had been cut open. It drives me to the edge of insanity thinking of these possibilities and how easily she could have slipped through my fingers. She turns to me and I am snapped from my thoughts.
“Rennek, my people and I would like to continue our discussion, but first we need clothing. Do you have anything other than these blankets?” She asks. I am surprised they do not wish to sit and talk more. I would want to know all the answers to my questions immediately. I look at her people--they are weary, weak from the trauma this rotation brought. Some still sob occasionally, or jump when I move or speak. They need time, rest, and more care. I take note of this, I should have inquired earlier to my Kate how I could help meet their needs. They need clothing. This is something I do not have for them.
“No, my Kate, nothing that will work for you,” I see her appraise my body so I stand taller and flex my arms as subtly as I can. We are nude save for the belted strips of cloth that hang at our waists. We carry holsters on our belts or, in Da’vi’s case, on straps crossing his shoulders. Of course, we have the uniforms Tennir provided us but, they would be ridiculously too large and heavy for the small females.
“Belts then? Do you have extra belts?”
“Belts we have,” I smile. Nothing brings me greater joy than speaking to my female and I am happy to provide her with something she asks for. Watching my Kate, I wonder if she feels the same sensations I do. Could this feeling be natural to her kind? Twice now I have caught her staring at my body and before she received her implant she looked at my mouth in a way that told me perhaps she was feeling something similar to what I have been experiencing. Now that we are free from the Ju’tup we will be heading for Tennir, I hope before we reach the lab there is time for Kate and I to be alone. She might have answers to some of the questions I have.
“We’ll also need food and water. We don’t want to be a burden on your ship, of course we’ll work in exchange for what we use,” she says and a wave of shame hits me so hard I nearly step back.
“My apologies! I was not thinking. You and your people shall have all you need. You are welcome to everything on the ship and there is no need to work in exchange for anything. That would shame me deeply. Please, allow me to prepare a meal for you in the dining hall,” I tell her.
“Thank you, we’d all really appreciate that,” she replies.
“I must warn you, however, the food is not the best. Travel meals are… well… the good news is they are vitamin rich,” I explain.
“Uh oh, if that’s the best thing you have to say about it then I’m a little scared,” she says smiling up at me. Her expression turns sincere. “I haven’t had the chance to say thank you yet Rennek. We’re so grateful to you and your friends for all you’ve done for us.” She touches my arm as she says this. The sensation is beyond anything I have ever felt. It is electric, it is pleasure and nourishing all in one. It takes all my strength not to take her in my arms in response.
I am thankful when Dax steps, “You will all need some standard vaccinations first, I’m afraid.” I regain my composure, raking my hands through my mane.
The females are nervous when they realize we want to give them shots. We explain all fledglings get them to stave off germs and illnesses which can spread quickly through interplanetary travel. Ultimately, they all receive the shots--with about as much bravery as a fledgling. I chuckle at their fear. After all they have been through on this day a small needle is the least of their worries, especially if they are to eat readymade travel meals after this.
After the vaccinations, I lead them to the dining hall first and show them how to use the food synthesizer. I order some hearty stew, which does not taste as awful as some of the other readymade meals, once it is reconstituted. I also order them some carb sticks and show the females how to break them up and dip them into the stew. I watch as they all eat two servings and drink water as if they had spent the rotation under Javan’s hot suns. I am pleased to feed them, but I am filled with shame to think they were so famished and I had not offered to take care of these needs sooner.
I take in their appearances. Their hair is still crusted with the fluid from the cryo bags. I remember Kate had blood splattered on her from the Ju’tup guard.
“Kate, would your people like to bathe?”
“Oh, fuck yeah!” Reagan exclaims. I am stunned.
“There will be no fucking. It is only so you all may clean yourselves,” I explain, horrified they think I am propositioning them. The females laugh as Reagan translates.
“She was just expressing enthusiasm, Rennek. She didn’t mean it literally,” my Kate tells me.
“I see, we use that word only for…” I trail off not sure what to say without offending the females.
“Don’t worry, I can guess,” she blinks one eye at me.
“Is there something wrong with your eye, my Kate?” I ask, worried.
“Oh boy…” Reagan scoffs.
Kate just laughs, “No, it’s like a signal… it’s hard to explain. It can be used for different reasons I guess. I was trying to let you know I understand.”
“Ah,” I blink my eye at her. “I understand.”
“Oh geeze.” She says. I do not know geeze either, but I decide to skip it for now.
“Anyway, where can we bathe,” the one called Allison says.
“Follow me,” I say, standing. I tap my personal comm and ask that someone bring clean blankets and belts to the showers.
When we arrive at the community showers Kellen is waiting with fresh blankets and belts. Except for the personal bathing unit in my quarters there is only a common shower area. One wall houses a series of hooks for personal items and a long bench. Water spouts occupy the adjacent wall.
“You may place your dirty items in the bin and I can have anything personal to you washed, if you wish,” I tell the females.
“Thanks, Rennek. This looks great.” Kate tells me, eying the showers.
I pull her aside, daring to lightly touch her arm. “My Kate,” I speak so only she may hear me, “if you wish… I have a private shower in my quarters. I do not know the customs of your people, but if you require more privacy I would like to offer it to you.”
“Why would I need more privacy?” She looks confused.
“I don’t know if a female of your station is accustomed to bathing with your people?”
“Huh? My station?” She looks perplexed momentarily before she says, “Oh! Is that how we’re using the phrase ‘my people’? I thought you just meant people like me. Other humans. I’m not… they’re not mine. Is that what this ‘queen’ stuff is about too?” She asks.
“I apologize, I assumed because you protected and lead them,” I tell her and she just shrugs.
“You are a born leader then, my Kate,” I tell her and am rewarded with a smile. “The offer stands, if you would like to bathe privately you may have my quarters. To sleep in as well, it has the largest bed of all the rooms. I wish for you to be comfortable.”
“Thank you Rennek, I don’t need anything special though and I’d hate to put you out.”
“Yes, well I will ask again after you see the size of the beds in the spare quarters,” I tease.
I show the females how to work the water heating system and step outside while they bathe. I activate my personal comm. �
�Who’s on the bridge?”
“Kellen and Da’vi here, Rennek. May we assist?”
“I will be showing the females their accommodations shortly. Afterwards I need to speak with Tennir as soon as possible. I need to let him know of all these developments as soon as possible and to see if he and Madreed might be able to help with whatever is to happen next.”
“I’ll send a message ahead letting him know you wish to link comms,” Kellen tells me.
“Perfect. Kellen? Do you feel different at all since we brought the females aboard?” I ask.
“Since we brought them aboard? No Rennek,” he replies