by Elin Wyn
I held my tongue on my next comment. Whoever had butchered that poor woman’s looks deserved to be shot…unless she truly did look that bad, then…I cleared the thought from my mind. “What makes you think we’re trying to steal your food?”
“You and your boss called for us to start rationing our food, then you’re taking it away from us and boxing it all up,” he said, spittle from his mouth splattering the clear wall of the cell. I took a closer look at him as he spoke.
His teeth were yellowed and crooked, his mustache was ill-trimmed, and his neck was ringed with dirt. He kept scratching himself there with fingers that were also yellowed and had blackened, cracked nails. I also noticed the ring on his left third finger, an indication amongst humans that he was married.
I repressed my instinctual gag reflex at the idea that anyone was willing to attempt to procreate with this man. Either she had been forced into it, or…I didn’t complete the thought. Thinking about him possibly having sex with anyone made my stomach turn at least three times.
I took a deep breath to quell my turning stomach, and to answer his question. “We called for a rationing system because the food that all of us eat, including those of us that aren’t human, is running out. The plants that we all use are dying. As for the food that is being collected, we’re doing that so we can help out the smaller settlements and keep them all alive.”
“Bullshit,” spat one of the others, the one that I had originally thrown past me to Hewl when the fight had started. He sported a very impressive black eye and bruise across the entire left side of his face. Hewl had not gone gentle on that one. “You’re a fucking liar.”
“Yeah,” Mustache said. “If you hadn’t arrived and brought your damn bugs with you, we would be living just fine.”
I dropped my head in frustration. “For the last time, we didn’t come here on purpose, and those weren’t our bugs. The Xathi are a scourge across the entire universe and we’re fighting against them. Did you not see us trying to kill them all?”
“Yeah, after you brought them here,” Bruise spat. The other two joined them in their ridicule and berating of me and the others.
It wasn’t going to matter what I said to them, they already had their feelings about us. I had held out hope that the ‘anti-alien’ groups would have tempered their feelings about us after the Xathi were eliminated and they saw that we were doing our best to repair the damage we had inadvertently caused.
I was wrong. There were still groups out there that hated us, and apparently there was one in Nyheim that was willing to get violent with their opinions. I stuck it out, doing my best to ignore their jibes, verbal jabs, and insults, for nearly an hour before the next shift started.
“Oh, thank the cosmos,” I said to myself when they walked in and were human guards. “These four are under arrest for attacking a food truck, and then us. Be careful, though, they don’t know how to shut up.”
“Oh, look. Alien-loving shit-bags!” I heard Mustache call out. The three guards went a little red in the face at the insult.
“Kind of them to demonstrate their best qualities.” I shook my head. “They love to talk. Not very original in their insults, but they’re stubborn and nonstop.”
“Alien fucker!”
“As stated,” I waved dejectedly.
“What do you want us to do, sir?” the lead guard asked.
“Do your best to ignore them, make sure they at least have something to drink, and…” I shrugged and raised my voice to be sure the prisoners could hear me. “If necessary, fill their cells with excrement.”
Their eyes went wide. “Really?”
I looked back at the prisoners, thoroughly enjoying their glares and semi-pleading looks. “Eh. Use your best judgment,” I answered. I left the building quickly, and headed to one of the restaurants Sylor had recommended to me. Not his ramen place, I wasn’t fond of the noodles they used, but to another place where they served something called barbeque. Food was in short supply, but this restaurant, like many others, was skilled at stretching their reserves in ever-creative ways.
I could smell the aroma of grilled meat from far away. If it was anything like my grandmother’s outdoor cooking, I felt that I would enjoy the place. As I made my way there, I saw a small group of humans, maybe seven in number, walking towards me on the street.
I was a little nervous. While I knew I was a better fighter than them, seven-against-one odds was not something I wanted. Instead of being incompetent, unintelligent kouters like the ones we had arrested, these humans were polite. They greeted me with a smile, one of them shook my hand, thanking me for my part in taking the vines down, and then went about their business.
I felt a little silly at thinking they might attack me, or at least treat me badly. Not all humans were moronic idiots like the ones in the cells. My hope was that their whole number was what we had fought a few streets over. If the faction was that small, we could handle them.
Then again, it only takes a tiny spark to burn an entire countryside.
I arrived at the restaurant and was directed to a small private booth in the corner. I was able to see the entire common room, and there was an emergency exit only a few feet away from me. It was like I had reserved this particular seat.
It was a decently busy night, nearly two-thirds of the tables were currently occupied. A few members of the Vengeance ground crews were inside, sitting on the far side, otherwise it was primarily a human presence.
But there was only one human in particular that caught my eye. Vibrant red hair stretching down to the middle of her back, fantastic hips that led to legs that seemed to go on forever, and amazing, lightly freckled skin.
And loyal and filled with an indomitable spirit.
She was glorious.
Somehow seeing her the second time struck me harder. Made me want… things, things I couldn’t quite explain, even more.
“Stasia?” I called out gently.
She turned at the sound of her name, recognized me…sort of hard to miss the only one here with shiny black skin covered in green circuitry that helped me move faster. She held up a finger to tell me to wait, finished what she was doing at the table she was at, then came over.
“Hi.” Her eyes locked on mine and our gazes held for more than a few seconds. “I wanted to thank you for what you did earlier. I didn’t even catch your name.”
“I’m Iq’her, from Vengeance Strike Team Two.” I shrugged. “It was no trouble. You looked like you needed the help, so I helped.”
“Well, thank you. I mean it,” she said sweetly, and I saw her cheeks start to redden as my eyes kept drinking hers in. “What can I get for you?”
“Well, what’s good?” I asked. A warmth spread through me at her soft voice. She was a different type of human than those others, for sure.
“I suggest the ribs, with a side of rice.” She flushed. “The salad isn’t as fresh as it could be, right now.”
“Thank you, yes, then that’s what I’ll have.” I offered an answering smile.
Watching her walk away, I worried.
Not about her working here. The restaurant was clearly a nice place to work; she seemed at ease with her co-workers, the friendly calls from regular patrons.
But that brother of hers.
She wasn’t anything like him. Well, maybe the temper was similar, but she at least seemed to have a brain in her skull that was used for more than simple things.
She looked out for him, whether he deserved it or not.
But did she have another looking after her?
Probably not. If she had a mate, a partner, even a best friend, she wouldn’t have looked so all alone in the detention wing.
If I was her mate, she’d never have had to deal with something like that alone.
Of course, I wasn’t.
That was ridiculous.
But still, her brother was obviously one of the anti-alien faction. And hot-headed, and prone to violence.
And from what I coul
d see, his associates were no better.
Stasia’s safety was in danger with every moment she spent with them.
No. I needed to find a way to protect her. I needed to be able to ensure that she was safe - especially if she stayed in the presence of her reckless brother and his hate-filled compatriots.
What if they planned something even more dangerous?
What if they somehow involved her?
I could…
My fingers tapped against one thin plate of the wrist guard of my other arm.
Before the Xathi war, I’d been assigned to infiltrate crime rings on my homeworld. The modifications to my suit had been minor, but useful. One of the additions I’d deployed was a series of tiny transmitters to record conversations and send them back to my base equipment.
And I still had one in my suit.
If I slipped one onto Stasia, I could find out if her brother was planning anything else. Anything that would put her at risk.
It was a terrible idea.
She’d hate it, if she found out.
It was an invasion of her privacy.
But if it kept her safe, it was worth doing, wasn’t it?
When Stasia came back, I already had a transmitter raised to the surface of the wrist-guard, easily flipped out with a flick of the wrist. It was ridiculously small and did a fantastic job of sticking to skin.
With its flat surface, she wouldn’t notice it…I hoped.
“I want to apologize about my brother’s behavior.” She set down my drink. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he didn’t used to act that bad.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “People say stupid things when they’re stressed. I have a friend whose mouth doesn’t always keep up with his brain, so he says the dumbest things at times. We still forgive him.”
She chuckled a bit at that. I stood up and gently patted her shoulder, quickly placing the transmitter on her neck as I moved a stray hair away. I shivered in pleasure as my hand touched her smooth, delicate skin. Her bare skin was a shock to my system.
I wanted to caress her. To feel more of her.
And instead, I was betraying her trust, even if it was for her own protection.
I brought my emotions in check and tried to act professional. “You are a strong woman with a hard responsibility. You deserve to be treated better than that.”
“Thank you.” She paused for a moment, and rested her fingers where I’d touched her. It didn’t upset the transmitter, and I got the feeling that she did so because I touched her, not because she was suspicious.
She left to deal with other customers, but I saw the small corners of her lips turn up in a smile when she left.
That made me smile, too.
When my food arrived, I ate it with zeal. It wasn’t my grandmother’s cooking, and there wasn’t much, but it was good.
I left a large tip for Stasia and left.
Now I just had to be patient about the transmitter, and smother the sneaking feelings of guilt that were starting to disturb me.
It was for her protection. It had to be done.
Stasia
“Thank you for coming back for the rest of the night, Stasia.” Mr. Biher pushed a bundle of credits into my hands. “When Kent didn’t show up for the dinner rush, I was a little worried.” He folded my fingers over the credits. “It’s not much, but—”
“Thank you,” I cut him short, pulling him in for a quick hug. I knew the restaurant’s finances were always tight, so his gesture meant the world to me. Sure, he had just given me a few credits on top of my regular pay, but that would definitely help the moment rent was due.
These days, every credit counted.
We closed up together and, when I offered to walk him home, he declined with a gentle smile. “No need,” he said. “I might be an old guy, but the city is still a safe place.” I wasn’t so sure about that, but let him go on his way all the same. It was only a short walk from the restaurant to his apartment, so I doubted anything would happen in the way.
Besides, I had a place I needed to be.
Walking through the deserted streets, the sky above littered with as many stars as there were grains of sand, I made my way toward Ventil. No more than a few streets away and I started hearing the usual chatter of a crowded bar, the sound of deep laughs and cups banging against the tables drifting out onto the street.
I wasn’t exactly in the mood for a night out, but Roddik had sent one of his friends by the restaurant with a message, asking me to meet him after work. I thought of ditching him, but the idiot would probably just get in trouble again. If I were there, at least I’d be able to keep an eye on him. Not that it mattered much — these days it was almost impossible to control him.
“And there she is,” Roddik announced the moment I stepped inside the bar. He jumped up to his feet and started clapping his hands together, a mocking smile on his lips. “Come to meet the common folk, m’lady?”
“Really funny, Roddik.” I frowned, taking a seat at his table. Only men were there, most of them factory workers from the industrial precinct, but they all scooted to the side so that I could fit in. They weren’t bad guys, for the most part, but it saddened me that the current situation was making them bitter.
My thoughts turned to Iq’her. How nice he’d been. Somehow, with him I felt safe. When he had touched my neck, I had to keep myself from shuddering, from the crazy sensation that my knees were about to give way.
But that was ridiculous. The last thing I needed to do was throw myself at the big, sexy alien.
That would cause far more complications than I could handle right now. Besides, what if he already had someone waiting for him?
“Too bad Alek and the guys couldn’t make it tonight, huh?” Roddik put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed hard. He was, of course, talking about the four assholes that were in a jail cell right now. The way I saw it, I was glad the little shits were still locked away.
“Maybe they shouldn’t have gotten arrested in the first place.” I shrugged, keeping my face neutral as I accepted the beer one of the guys handed me.
“Or maybe you shouldn’t have left them there to rot,” Roddik replied, his words turning sour.
What the hell was his problem? Had he invited me here just so he could piss me off even more?
“C’mon, Roddik,” one of the guys spoke up, grabbing my brother and forcing him to sit down. “Leave her alone, will ya? Stasia would never do such a thing, would she? She’s your sister, man.”
A few others grumbled their agreement, and I breathed out with relief. At least they weren’t siding with Roddik and throwing me under the bus. There was still hope for them, it seemed. They weren’t exactly the best people in the world, but they were the closest thing I had to family now.
The conversation quickly drifted into trivial matters, and I was relieved. I wasn’t in the mood for more rants or speeches, and it felt good to relax. Roddik wasn’t drinking like a maniac, so that helped, too.
Looking after him was exhausting, so I definitely appreciated the fact I could let my guard down, even if just for a couple of hours.
For a moment, I almost felt normal again.
It didn’t last.
Just an hour after I arrived, two massive Valorni strolled into the bar.
It wasn’t the setup for a joke, but the uneasy mood my brother had put me in made me feel like I was the punchline.
They were burly guys, their size intimidating, but they didn’t seem to want to cause any trouble. They greeted everyone before walking toward the counter, ordered two beers, and then started talking with the bartender. Five minutes later, and they were leaving with a small crate.
Roddik clenched his jaw as he saw it, and I laid my hand on his arm by instinct. I didn’t want him to get into trouble again, especially when he still had to show up to a hearing. The last thing I wanted was for him to be thrown back into a jail cell.
Sure, he probably needed to be taught a lesson, but I simply coul
dn’t abandon him. My mother had always trusted me to look after him, and that was exactly what I intended to do.
“What the hell was that about?” Roddik asked the bartender right after the Valorni left. The man just shrugged apologetically, showing us his hands as if saying ‘what can you do?’
“They were asking for donations,” he finally replied. “I reckon the city is going short on food already.”
“And you just gave it to them?” Roddik asked, his eyes wide with surprise. “What were you thinking?”
“Hey, man, I don’t call the shots here. The owner told me to be accommodating if those guys came knocking, and that’s what I did. It’s not like they took much, anyway.”
That answer wasn’t enough for Roddik, I could tell. There was a glint in his eyes, the kind that only appeared when his blood started boiling. “Seriously, people? Are we just going to let them come and take our food? Who’s to say they’re not saving all that food for themselves? I never saw one of those big bastards go hungry, that’s for sure.” He stood up then, almost as if daring anyone in the bar to prove him wrong.
I almost said that they couldn’t ‘take’ what had been freely given, but I just shut up. I didn’t want to cause an argument in front of everyone.
“I think it’s time we start thinking of leaving the city,” Roddik continued, repeating what he had said a few nights before. This time, though, there was no applause or cheering. Everyone just seemed to contemplate what he was saying with a solemn expression, almost as if they were seriously thinking of starting a new colony by themselves.
Roddik seized the chance to continue talking, his sales pitch so perfect I was almost sure he had been practicing it. It didn’t take long before most people were quietly mouthing their agreement, and that was when I decided to call it a night.
Without drawing any attention to myself, I paid my tab and grabbed my jacket.
I was already crossing the street outside the bar when I heard the door swing open. “Stasia!” I heard Roddik call after me, and I sighed as I turned around to face him. “Where are you going?”