by Liza Probz
Magnis began to count down. "Impact in five seconds. Four. Three. Two. One."
"Impact."
Sylvie's entire world exploded around her, then she knew nothing but darkness.
Chapter 3
She was wet. And lying on something hard and warm.
Sylvie opened her eyes and blinked into the light of a blue sun. She sat up and groaned, taking in the scene around her, but not understanding it immediately.
Sun winked off the silver of her ship's hull as it bounced on the waves of an endless purple sea. As she watched, the silver slipped under the surface. Her ship. Her equipment. Her way home.
Gone.
She looked around. She was sitting on a lone outcropping of red rock in an ocean of deep purple. The rock was painted with oranges and yellows where the waterline hit. Tiny living creatures, perhaps, that lived on the border between land and sea?
A low squeaking drew her attention to her left, where Fido was busy untangling some exotic form of seaweed out of its tracks. Fido, or Firstwave Intelligent Defense Operative, must have kicked into action immediately upon impact. She owed her life to the robot NASA had insisted she bring with her.
"Thank you, Fido," Sylvie said as she moved herself closer to the machine. She helped it untangle itself, then examined the seaweed.
"Life," she whispered.
In her hand she held definitive proof that life could exist on another planet.
She glanced up as her jaw fell open. A transparent craft of some sort dropped from the sky to land above the spot where her ship had sunk. A door opened, and two figures with skin light green in color jumped into the waves, disappearing beneath them. Two more moved to a round platform, which detached itself from the craft to zoom across the waves.
Straight toward her.
Sylvie couldn't believe her eyes. The probe’s data had led them to believe the planet had the beginnings of life, mainly small, single-celled organisms. Nothing in her wildest imagination could have led her to believe that there might be advanced intelligent life. But figures, with what appeared to be two arms and two legs, were currently approaching her at lightning speed.
"Proximity alert."
She jumped at Fido’s voice. A panel of warning lights blinked on along the lines of the robot's two extender arms. The electronic display that comprised the unit's face turned from placid blue to angry red. A small hatch popped open on Fido's shoulder, and a weapon appeared from the hatch.
"Wait," she said, patting her robotic watchman on the arm. "We're not sure if they mean us any harm. Let me try and communicate with them first."
The outcropping of rock was only a dozen feet across, and Sylvie imagined that at high tide only a few scant inches might be uncovered. They had to get off this stone island if they had the chance, and the beings headed toward them obviously had a means of transport. Best to see if they could be reasoned with.
Her mind spit out calm suggestions while her heart acted like it was going to punch its way out of her chest.
"Hostile life forms approaching. Defense initiative Alpha-01 activated." A red light began to blink from the weapon on Fido's shoulder.
"No!" she shouted, but Fido did not obey. A laser beamed from the robot straight at the approaching figures.
Sylvie wanted to avert her eyes but forced herself to watch, unable to comprehend that NASA's fool robot was about to destroy the first sentient beings humankind had ever made contact with.
Before the laser could obliterate the aliens, it hit some sort of force field around them. The field entirely absorbed the beam.
Sylvie bit her thumbnail, nervousness causing her stomach to turn. The beings, who a moment ago had seemed to have skin the color of mint, suddenly flashed to bright yellow.
That can't be good.
The laser was useless against them.
The round disk slid to a stop a few inches from the outcropping, and Sylvie got her first good look at its occupants. They were taller than average humans, both figures easily over six and a half feet tall. Their skin was indeed yellow, and as she watched, their surfaces seemed to pulse in gentle waves of light. Two arms that ended in digits, similar to humans except for the webbing, and two legs that ended in feet, again webbed.
Their heads were similar to humans, although covered in something much finer and more articulated than hair. Two glowing eyes sat in faces that were more angular than human features. Their noses appeared to have nostrils covered in a thin film. And their mouths held rather plump lips. The overall look was not at all unappealing.
Let's hope they don't have three rows of razor sharp teeth. Sylvie shook her head to clear it. This was not the time for hysterical inner monologues.
The pair was wearing clothing woven of a substance that didn't seem too different from the seaweed she was still holding in her hand. The soft fronds fell from their waist into an intricate sarong, then were braided into two straps that crept up muscular chests to tie around their necks. The material appeared both sturdy and comfortable.
One of the beings took a step off the disk and onto the rock outcropping. An alarm sounded from Fido.
“Defense initiative Delta-17 activated." One of the robot's extender arms shot out toward the figure, grabbing it around the bicep.
The light waves that before had been a gentle hypnotic pulsing now engulfed the whole of the being's arm in a bright burst. The crackle of electricity sounded, and Fido fell backward, his arm charred and smoking.
The creature's skin started glowing, charging up the electric shock weapon to finish off Fido. Her hero was about to be reduced to a pile of smoldering parts.
Although the dumb machine didn't know when to try diplomacy, it didn't deserve to be blasted to bits.
"Stop!" she yelled. Surprising herself, she burst forward, shoving the creature that was about to blow Fido to bits. Her hands touched the being's skin and the energy that was about to take out the robot shot into her. The world exploded in white, and Sylvie and consciousness went their separate ways.
Chapter 4
The transparent walls surrounding her were unnerving. Sylvie knew she was being watched, could even see the faint outline of figures on the other side, but the most she could see was a faint impression. Otherwise she was encased in an opaque world of four walls with only a large cushion in the center of the chamber. The cushion was made of the same seaweed material as the uniforms on the beings who'd imprisoned her.
There was no sign of Fido. No sign of anything, except faint twin burns on the palms of her hands. There was no pain, which she would have expected from such an intense shock. Just the faded outline of raised flesh.
Sylvie's stomach growled. She wasn't sure how long she'd been unconscious, but enough time had passed for hunger to become a serious issue. That and the need to find a bathroom.
Without warning, a tear appeared in the side of one of the walls. Sylvie blinked as light streamed into the room, threatening to blind her. A shadow materialized as one of the beings entering the chamber.
The being was similar to the others who'd confronted her on the rock island. Its skin was light green, its eyes black, and its head was covered with tendrils that were a very deep blue. It wore a different uniform from the others, although made of the same material. It featured several braids that climbed up the figure's chest and back to join in a collar that circled the figure’s neck.
"Accompany me."
Sylvie stared. "You... you speak English?"
The being stared back but did not answer. A sly smirk crept across its face, and damn if she didn’t giggle. She wasn’t the type of woman to giggle – ever. Shock was starting to take hold of her sense of reason. Too much, too fast.
Grabbing her arm, it spun her around. He spun her around. Although she hadn't done a thorough scientific investigation, her instincts were telling her that the brute was male. He pulled both arms behind her back, then bound them.
She started to sputter in indignation as he clasped a collar arou
nd her neck. He connected it to bindings around her wrists so that when she tried to pull her arms apart, it tightened on her throat, cutting off her airway.
Sylvie had always considered herself to be completely rational, not prone to flights of fancy, and never hysterical. Yet as she considered the ridiculousness of her current situation, hysteria seemed right around the corner.
Trapped on a distant planet, her only way home at the bottom of an alien sea. Taken prisoner by beings with electrical current running through their skin, who at any moment could send a million volts through her. Beings that somehow spoke English.
Sylvie was pulled through hallways, struggling to keep up with the wide strides of her warden. She tried to take in her surroundings, but they blurred past so quickly she could make out very little besides long, curved hallways that reminded her of the inside of a seashell.
There were too many turns to count, and when her limited strength gave out, her captor dragged her along the smooth floors. He yanked her outside of an opaque door that resembled the walls of her cell.
The being put a fingertip to the surface of the door and it let out a tiny spark. The opaque surface trembled, flashing blue then returning to a smoky white.
"Enter."
A thin line appeared and her captor used his hand to widen the opening. He stepped through, pulling Sylvie after him.
The chamber was similar to the hallways; sleek, with a finish that was like cream swirled with caramel. Like her customary morning latte.
Her stomach growled again, and she couldn't help but let out another giggle.
What the hell is wrong with me?
The being pulled her in front of him, then forced her to her knees with one large hand pressed against her shoulder. He pulled on the binding behind her back, forcing her head up.
The figure before her was taller and more muscular than the one who'd dragged her in. His skin was a deep maroon color, and his dark hair had a slight wave. It fell just beneath his well-developed shoulders. He was staring at a display that rose out of what looked like a natural formation of coral to the height of his chest. Sylvie watched as he batted the display away and it disappeared, the coral going dark.
"This is the creature?" he asked.
"Yes, Minister. This is the organic one. The inorganic one is already being dissembled in our labs."
Inorganic one? Fido!
"Hey!" Sylvie yelled, trying to turn around to confront the alien behind her. "Don't take him apart. He saved my life!"
Her captor pulled hard on her bindings and she slipped, her chest hitting the floor and knocking the air from her lungs.
"It certainly has spirit," the one referred to as 'Minister' said. He knelt before her, lifting her face to peer at her. "Explain what you did to our defense shield."
"Defense shield?" The air was suddenly so hard to breathe. It was as if she were a mile into the sky where the air is thin and dry. Maybe the atmosphere of this planet was--
"Answer me!" The Minister pulled hard on her collar, yanking her back to her knees. "What did you do to our defense shield? Who sent you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know how you're speaking my language!"
The Minister growled and let go of her collar. "How stupid does this creature think we are?"
The being behind her spoke up. "It's from Earth. They're the stupid ones."
Sylvie bit back the urge to protest.
"Their species barely developed faster-than-light travel two cycles ago. Even the most basic translation matrix is beyond them."
"Then how did that tiny craft it came in take down our entire planetary defense shield?"
"Unknown, Minister. It may have been accidental."
The Minister bent to her level again, grabbed her chin, and turned Sylvie's face to and fro. "It's an intriguing creature. But if it doesn't know what happened, then I have no use for it."
He released his hold and stood up, once again activating the display. "Get it out of here."
Her captor grabbed hold of the bindings and lifted Sylvie to her feet. "Permission to perform tests to determine if something in its composition could have affected the shielding?"
The Minister gave a curt nod. "Granted."
"Tests? Wait--" But it was too late. She was already being dragged out through the opaque doorway and back into the hall.
"Let's be reasonable. You can ask me anything. You don't need to do any tests on me."
Her captor ignored her, but she noticed his color shift, going from mint green to something lighter, with a faintly pinkish cast.
Two aliens moved toward them as they stopped, her captor holding up his hand, palm open, in salute. The others returned the gesture just the same.
"What have you got there?" one of them asked.
"An Earthling."
"Is that thing responsible for the shield failure?"
"Yes, and the Minister's gone maroon over it."
The trio talked for a minute more, her captor releasing her binding in order to mimic the Minister's demeanor as part of the conversation. She didn't waste a second before bolting.
"Stop!" her captor shouted, but she ignored him completely.
It was difficult to keep her footing on the slick floors, and as she rounded a corner she slid, losing her balance. Just before she hit the floor, a pair of strong arms grabbed her.
Sylvie's head shot up, eyes wide. The arms lifted her until her face was level with the being who'd caught her.
His eyes were black as midnight, a golden rim encircling them that glowed. A strong nose led to plump lips that verged on feminine. His lips seemed to be the only soft thing about him. She shivered in response to his closeness, awareness of his masculinity causing her to shrink back.
"What have we got here?" he asked, his voice like steel-covered silk.
"Please, let me go." Sylvie started to flail, her dangling feet kicking at the creature's shins. He made a noise that sounded like laughter.
"I'm sorry, Supreme One!" her captor yelled as he jogged up. The other two beings followed closely behind him. "It slipped away. Won't happen again."
"An Earthling," the Supreme One said, his lips twisting up into a half smile. "A female. In the flesh."
"Yes, Sire. I was just taking her back to the labs."
A dark eyebrow quirked over his fathomless black eyes. "On whose orders?"
"The Minister of Defense."
Sylvie watched as his face tightened. "So this is what my brother has been keeping from me."
He set her down, releasing his hold. Chill bumps broke out along her arms, his touch having caused her to react in the oddest of ways.
Her warden grabbed her bindings and started pulling her down the hallway. "Apologies again, Sire."
Panic rose in her stomach as the distance between them grew. There was something about this one, something that said he might take pity on her.
"Wait! Please!" But the alien turned his back and strode off down the hallway in the opposite direction.
Chapter 5
Xivthar Rasveen, Supreme Regent of Zanthar, didn't bother to signal politely at his brother's door. Instead he raked his finger down the opaque surface and it opened immediately for him. His brother was staring at a display of the inner workings of their planet's defense shielding, a scowl painting his features.
"You've gone maroon, brother. The underlings will see it."
"There are bigger problems than that," his brother responded. "You'd be maroon too if you knew what we were potentially facing."
"Then tell me," Xivthar said, joining him in front of the display. "Stop trying to hide things from me like some mimicfish and tell me what in Noruma's name is going on."
Drak'Karren Rasveen, his brother and appointed Minister of Defense, gave a loud sigh. "The defense shield is down."
Xivthar frowned. "I'd gathered as much from the talk in the halls. And an Earthling has something to do with it."
"You know of the Earthling?" D
rake scowled. "Accursed gossip."
"It wasn't gossip. She ran into me while trying to escape."
Drake slammed a fist into the coral desk, making the display flicker. "She's the reason I've kept quiet. I know your fascination with Earth culture. Especially Earthling females. I didn't think you could be even-minded about the issue."
"Even-minded?" His skin began to flush yellow as he didn't bother to hide his anger from his brother. "I'm your Regent, your Supreme One. How dare you presume to hide something like this from me?"
His brother didn't back down. "Because we can't afford you being distracted right now."
"I don't understand. The Earthling's craft hit the shield and disabled it somehow, but she's not a threat. Earth doesn't have a space armada. This is one of only a half dozen faster-than-light ships they have. What's got you so afraid?"
"We can't discount the Earthlings as a threat. They could be working with our enemies."
Xivthar frowned. "That makes no sense. I doubt the Hareema even know about Earth."
The Hareema were much too self-sufficient to bring Earth into their plans. They were a planet of leeches, sucking the life out of each and every galaxy that they moved through. Zanthar had pushed back against them for as long as Xivthar could remember, but the Hareema were resilient if nothing else.
Drake shook his head. "Not so. The latest intelligence reports I received indicated that their agents may have infiltrated that backwards planet. They could be working together with the Earthlings, knowing that we'd never see Earth as a threat before it was too late."
Xivthar now realized the source of his brother's maroon color. If the Hareema had infiltrated Earth, there was a real chance that the loss of their shield was deliberate. Even now, a Hareema attack force could be on their way.
"I want all our forces watching for any sign of invasion. And I want that shield repaired immediately."
His brother nodded. "The entire military is on standby and the Ministry of Science is working on the Earthling ship." Drake gave his brother a charged look. "And the female."