by Celeste Raye
Urim wanted to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, the knight's commander Nabvan. The commander trained the young warriors and personally chose those who became the king's proud Milisarian Knights. Nabvan was the most powerful knight his planet had ever known. He had killed the evil King Shene, though he had been tortured to the point of death. He was a tough taskmaster when he trained the warriors, yet he was also caring and fair. Urim hoped he was half as good at being a knight as Nabvan was. He practiced with the less experienced warriors and sought to train them as well as his mentor had trained him. He needed to work on the patient attitude some more.
To calm his anger, Urim searched out some of his warriors to spar with. The colonists were busy repairing the damaged equipment, and the knights were free to practice. He chose his strongest warrior to fight against. He had no intention of holding back for a less experienced man today. The aggression needed to be forced from his body so he could deal with the little blue creatures without exploding.
Swords clashed in the morning light. Urim had the advantage of anger, while his opponent used clear-headed logic. It was an even match. Shouts of encouragement came from the audience of warriors. The winner would be treated to a rare bottle of the Earth drink known as whisky. A single case had been among the items traded in their last trip to the civilized planet. The warriors took the side of their favorite challenger in hopes of sharing a swig of the intoxicating drink.
The contest had been going on for hours, each warrior tireless. The joy of hefting a sword against a worthy opponent sustained them. The slight buzzing of an approaching hovercraft finally called a halt to the battle, without a clear winner. The warriors were disappointed. The whisky would not be served today. The creature in the hovercraft was to blame and would suffer their wrath. They lined up in battle formation, raised their swords, and waited for the craft to land.
Urim stepped up to encounter the occupant as the craft's roof retracted. His body quivered with shock upon seeing a human female inside. He had expected another of the delicate blue creatures who spoke with their minds. He could not allow the knights or the female to sense his shock. As the leader of this expedition, Urim had to appear stoic and in full control of every situation. It became more difficult to keep an unsmiling expression when the beautiful human climbed out of the hovercraft. Her hair was red and fell to her tiny waist in waves. The only red hair Urim had ever seen was that of his commander, Nabvan. It was an odd anomaly on Milisaria. The rubber suit she wore left little to the imagination. It followed every curve of her magnificent body. He wondered what the tube leading from the suit into her nose was for. Perhaps she had an illness. He could hear the appreciative murmurs coming from behind him. It would seem the warriors were as intrigued by the human's beauty as well.
Urim greeted the female. "Good day. I am Urim of Milisaria. What is the nature of this visit? Do you seek aid? I see the tube attached to your face. Are you ill?"
Josephine's eyes had nearly popped out of her head at the sight of so many huge, gorgeous men. One such as Ohber was intoxicating, but an entire army of them was overwhelming. Their leader was over-the-top stunning. His powerful muscles bulged when his hands drew into fists at his side. His face was sculpted to perfection. She had to shake her head to clear it. What had he asked? It took a moment to process the questions. Eventually, she replied, "You ask a lot of questions. No, I am not ill. In fact, I am a nurse. My name is Josephine. I have come to negotiate a truce between you and the Pura."
"So that is the name of the little blue creatures." The knights laughed at Urim's description of the aliens.
Josephine huffed, "That's as rude as them referring to you as giants. Can't you be a little more sensitive?"
"Calling us giants is not rude. It is accurate. For your information, Milisarians are not known for their sensitivity. We are warriors." The knights nodded in approval and Urim continued, "What do you have to do with these Pura? Why is a human female on an uncivilized planet?"
"The Pura asked Earth for help. They needed someone with medical training to care for them while they readied this planet for habitation. I volunteered. It would be best for both species if you left the planet. You have already wounded two of the Pura." Josephine stood tall in front of the huge man.
Urim replied, "I can see and understand your concern for the delicate species, but it is they who must depart. Milisaria is in control of this planet, not the Pura. We will be using its resources to feed our colonies. The terraforming started weeks ago. We were already here when they landed."
Josephine argued, "You have a safe home and other worlds on which to grow food. The Pura need this world to survive. Their planet is out of the energy they require. It is a matter of who needs it the most."
"Actually, it is a matter of ownership. We claimed this planet in the name of Milisaria long ago. It is only now that we find a need to use it. Your loyalty to these aliens is to be commended; however, I doubt it will be rewarded. Most species that deplete a planet's energies will also use other species to gain whatever they need. Once they have what they want, the helper is expendable." Urim found the human female amusing in her allegiance to the Pura, yet he thought it best to warn her of the possibility of being used.
"They will not harm me. Earth would seek revenge and destroy them. They have a tentative relationship with Earth and would not jeopardize it so easily. I am not afraid of the Pura. It's you who should be afraid. They have battlebots to fight for them." Josephine crossed her arms and tapped her foot in defiance.
Urim laughed aloud along with his warriors. "Your naivety is rather funny. We have been trained all our lives for war. Mechanical, unthinking battlebots do not concern us. Our swords and strategy would prevail."
Josephine replied, "I don't see anything funny about war. Both sides would lose precious lives. The battlebots are built with weapons that can be used at a distance. Your swords would be useless in that scenario."
"Our swords are never useless, but they are not our only weapons. Milisaria has changed over the years. We have guns and explosives. Strategy is our greatest weapon. It represents our intellectual growth. It is our right to defend our territory. I am truly sorry that the little Puras were injured. It was accidental. I was just trying to knock the controllers from their hands. If they agree to find another home, we will not go to war."
Josephine tried one more time. "Can't there be a compromise? The Pura don't have time to find another world. They are almost out of energy on their old one. Maybe they would agree to share this planet with Milisaria, at least until you find a better place to farm."
Urim sighed. The human was tenacious. He answered, "Our species cannot inhabit the same planet. It is large, but not so big that we would never meet. Our lifestyles would eventually clash. War is inevitable. You must explain to them that we will not go away. Once we take over a planet, we do not let it go. We do not wish to hurt them, but we will if it becomes necessary. Compromise is not in our nature."
"I don't think it's in their nature either. I will speak to them about this discussion. I hope they listen better than you have. You are a stubborn man, just like Ohber was. I hope he is doing well." Josephine needed to know that he had survived.
Urim's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You knew Ohber? How did you meet him?"
She hated to admit her part in the experiments, but she had no choice. She shouldn't have brought up the subject. "I was a nurse in the lab where the experiments were done. I am ashamed of my part in the program, though I did my best to care for the aliens. I volunteered for this mission as penance for not realizing the depth of evilness in the experiments. It is a way to forgive myself. I pray that Ohber is well and happy on Milisaria."
Urim held back his emotions. Ohber had suffered greatly at the hands of the scientists, yet he did not hold a grudge. He was a very good man and showed forgiveness. Urim must follow his example. "Ohber is indeed happy. He has been retired due to his internal injuries, which will never completely heal. He is
strong in spite of it. He trains warriors along with our commander, Nabvan. He is honored among our species. If it soothes you in any way, he does not blame the nurses for the cruel treatment. He believes they were used as pawns in the program and wishes them well. His mate, Valeri, and he have three children. They have the first set of twins on our planet, both are male, and an infant daughter. My sister, Rixi, is mentored by Valeri. She wishes to become a nurse, just like you."
Josephine's relief was dramatic. Ohber had a new life and was happy. If he could forgive Valeri and choose her as his mate, then surely, she was forgiven as well. This news went a long way in getting Josephine to forgive herself. It made her decision to come to this planet well worth the price of leaving her family behind. She replied, "Thank you for sharing this news. It has lifted a great weight from my shoulders. I have been worried about him for a very long time. It is also nice to know that Valeri is well and happy. She is the one who brought the atrocities to light, even fighting against her own father. It was good of the Milisarian king to allow her sanctuary on your planet."
"It is not just sanctuary. She is now a true citizen of Milisaria and accepted by all. Her skills have helped us make advances, and we appreciate her strength in protecting Ohber and the other aliens. She says they have been returned to their proper planets and the lab is no more. We honor loyalty and kindness,” Urim stated.
"She is correct. The lab has been dismantled, the building condemned, and the perpetrators imprisoned. The government has new laws in place to prevent such experiments from happening again." Josephine began backing toward the hovercraft. "I will deliver your message to the Pura. Thank you for allowing me to speak on their behalf. Tell Valeri and Ohber that Josephine wishes them much happiness."
Chapter 5
Josephine
Josephine carefully climbed back into the hovercraft. She stared at the controls, trying to remember which ones she needed to turn the vehicle around. She was unfamiliar with such transportation and had not dared ask the Pura for instructions. Technically, she had stolen it while they were too busy to notice. She liked to call it borrowing. It sounded far less illegal. There was no other way to reach the other side of the mountains and return in one day without the use of a hovercraft. She considered her theft necessary to stop a war. She touched a button, and the craft sprang forward a few feet and then came to a sudden halt. Her head slammed into the front window. She rubbed the throbbing knot on her forehead and spied the handsome Urim shaking his head in disbelief. She wanted to ram the craft into his smirking face but feared she would touch the wrong button again and make a bigger fool of herself. She decided that instead of turning around, she would make a large circle and return to camp. Those controls she had figured out. She circled the Milisarian spacecraft and headed for her temporary home.
The peace negotiations had not gone well. She had found that Urim was a stubborn, barbaric man. He thought of war as a way to resolve all problems, big or small. She supposed that it was an ingrained trait for the Milisarian species. They were born that way, and the idea was further perpetuated by their training as warriors. The very best was honored in an elite group known as knights. It was a frustrating trait. She could see his point, though. They had prior claim on this planet, first come first served and all that. But, it was also a little childish when you considered it. It reminded her of children fighting over a toy. Urim wouldn't even think about sharing. He just swore it to be impossible. She feared that Ixia would be even worse. Josephine had seen two goats butting heads once. Both had been injured, and there had been no definitive winner. Ixia and Urim were exactly like those goats. The problem was, in this battle, there would be deaths instead of bad headaches. She had to find a way to stop the nonsense.
On the good side, she had learned that Ohber and Valeri were alive and happy on Milisaria. They even had children. A great weight had lifted off Josephine with that news. She could begin to heal her mind and heart.
The trip had also given her a chance to meet Urim and his gorgeous knights. There was nothing wrong with enjoying the sights when you went on a mission of peace. The planet was beautiful, with waterfalls falling from every mountain. She had noticed them on her way to the Milisarian encampment. But, they did not compare to the large army of knights standing at attention as she came around the mountain. The sight had taken her breath away. They beat out the sexy dancers at women's clubs any day. They would make a fortune off women shoving money in their thongs. The idea of the powerful Urim dressed only in a thong made her want to swoon and laugh all at one time. He was so hot and charismatic that it was sinful. But, he would destroy anyone who tried to force him into a thong.
Josephine needed to get her mind back on the dire situation at hand. She pushed Urim to the back of her mind and concentrated on a way to convince Ixia of the folly of starting a war between the Pura and Milisarians. If Urim was telling the truth about other weapons, and she would bet he was, there would be a bloodbath on both sides. Someone had to listen to reason. The two alien species refused to talk to each other, so it was all up to her to be the neutral go-between. It was a lousy job, yet necessary. This wasn't something she had trained for, nor had she expected it when she volunteered to help the Pura. She was a nurse, not a negotiator of peace. If the two sides refused to call a truce, she would be stuck in the middle of the war with nowhere to hide. She didn't want to die on some forsaken planet, far from her family. Ixia would have to listen.
The campsite was just ahead. Ixia was standing with his hands on his sparse hips and waiting for her to arrive. Josephine knew he was angry. She dreaded the consequences she would face for taking the hovercraft without permission. Would he see it as theft and lock her away until the Earth ship returned? Or would he consider her trip to the Milisarian camp as treason and worthy of death? She couldn't be sure of the answer. The Pura had seemed kind and peaceful at the first meeting, but Ixia's comments had shown an underlying ferocity. Whatever the outcome, she would have to face it alone. She had no way to reach humans for aid. Josephine stopped the hovercraft and climbed out. She stood calm and defiant in front of Ixia.
Urim
The presence of a human female on this planet was unexpected and a shock to Urim's system. The Puras landing here had caused enough of a surprise. How could he have ever imagined that a single human female would appear as well? He had not been prepared for these situations. How could you prepare for such an anomaly? It had never happened in all of their history. Why must he be the first to experience such a thing? He did not possess enough wisdom to deal with an unknown alien species and a human female while trying to terraform a new planet. It was too much responsibility for someone so young. The king should have sent an older knight on this mission. He could not handle the pressure.
No, he must not think that way. A Milisarian Knight was expected to handle any type of situation he encountered. Others had handled worse problems. Urim had been alive to see it. True, he had been no more than a child, but he remembered it all. His commander, Nabvan, had killed the previous king to save human females and himself. He had faced possible death for his actions with dignity. King Siefer had fought against a rebellion on Milisaria. It had been brought on by his own brother, who had been killed by the king's wife. Many disloyal villagers had been executed for treason. Ohber had suffered terrible pain due to experiments on his body and mind. Some of his organs would never heal properly, and yet he had forgiven his tormentors. He had used his mental strength to build a new life and was prospering. Urim wanted to be like them, his heroes and mentor. He would not allow negative thinking to overcome his mind. This mission had been given to him. The king trusted him to carry it out and he would. No one would be allowed to get in his way, not even a beautiful human female.
Josephine's bright green eyes haunted his mind. Their innocent stare as she begged him to compromise had nearly broken his resolve. She did not understand how futile her efforts were. He wished that she could find a way to leave this planet before a
battle began. The fight was between the Milisaria and the Pura. The lovely human was a pawn, bouncing back and forth between two species to negotiate peace. Neither side held allegiance to her. If she got in the way, she would die. It saddened Urim to consider it. Any life that was wasted was regrettable, but she was special. Her heartfelt regret and years of punishing herself for the experimental lab were proof that she deserved to live. Maybe these mountains would hide and protect her from the war. He would protect her himself if he was able. His loyalty to the Milisarian Knights had to come first. He had sworn allegiance to Milisaria. He would have to choose them over Josephine if it came to that decision.
That night, Urim dreamed of a woman with red waving hair. She walked through the green sea toward him. Her eyes held the four moons in their depths. A filmy dress blew in the gentle breeze and clung to her shapely legs. She smiled as she drew closer. Children with the same auburn hair ran splashing in the waves behind her. She reached out a hand for him to take, but before their fingers could touch, a bolt of light came out of the sky and struck her. She fell in the shallow water, still reaching out to him. The children screamed for her and began to cry. He knelt at her side and lifted her head into his lap. She touched his face gently and smiled sadly. He heard her whispered last words. "You could have stopped this."
Urim awoke covered in sweat. The nightmare had left him shaking in agony. There were tears running down his chiseled cheeks. He wiped them away angrily. He was a warrior. Tears over a meaningless dream were forbidden. He could not let Josephine get under his skin this way. The dream had to be about her for he knew no other women with hair that color. The sea was that of Milisaria. Only it was colored green. The children he did not recognize, though his heart told him they belonged to the woman. Why was he dreaming such things? How had Josephine gotten on Milisaria? He left his bed. He could not go back to sleep. Urim feared that the dream would return. He refused to contemplate its meaning. In the morning he had to prepare for a war that he did not wish to happen. He must appear calm and in complete control when he faced the knights. They would not obey him if he showed vulnerability. The colonists must continue their work. Urim would finish this assignment with dignity and strength. He would return to Milisaria with honor.