by Leela Ash
***
Zander left the room where Pria was lying immobile. He had taken her aboard the Legend, a ship he co-captained with Captain Kane. He had stopped for a while to fuel up and had asked him for help. He had finally found the woman who was the key to fighting the sinister virus that was plaguing the galaxy. Once they were able to perfect the vaccine, nobody would be at the mercy of the terrible Codans, who had taken the opportunity to provide relief from the symptoms in the form of hyper-addictive drugs and a fear campaign that was in the process of enslaving entire masses of people all over the universe.
He had never seen a human before, and she made him nervous. He felt a stirring as he looked at her, something unlike anything he had ever felt. She was profound and exotic, he decided. So much different from the women he saw of his own race, the Driads. According to Captain Kane, the humans were the key. Capt. Kane had discovered a woman whose genetic sequence had unlocked the secrets of the vaccination.
Unfortunately, it had turned out to be more complicated than that. In order for the vaccine to work, they needed part of it to contain blood of another human – the type who could potentially carry the disease should she come into contact with it. She wouldn’t die. Instead, she would spread it wherever she went. That was a huge risk, but Kane had entrusted him with finding Pria and keeping the carrier safe. If the Codans knew such a person existed, they would immediately turn her into a living bio-weapon. The crew on the Legend would have to be extremely careful and deliver her to Kane as quickly as possible. But not before they made sure she was completely compatible with their needs.
“Captain Zander,” Shef exclaimed, turning the corner. He stopped, leaning against the wall and panting. Shef had been his right hand man since Kane had entrusted him with the Legend, and the small, older man had immediately grown on him. Zander had been afraid he would mess up being in charge of so many people, but with Shef there at his side, it was almost impossible. Shef was always on top of things, and seemed to know just what was needed before anyone else knew that something was lacking.
“Hey Shef. What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Shef said, taking in a long, shuddering breath. “Codans.”
“What? Here?”
Shef, unable to get any more words out, nodded. Zander pursed his lips and ran with Shef to the dock, where Shef pointed out into the massive open space beyond. Zander squinted as he peered out, his eyes searching for the ship. Sure enough, a huge black ship was in the distance, hovering near a gigantic meteor that was spinning slowly.
Zander studied the monstrosity. He had never seen one up close. It looked kind of circular, with a triangular piece cut out at the front, like it was missing a piece of pie. But Zander’s whimsical thoughts were lost on the Codans, who were bloodthirsty tyrants that would stop at nothing for domination.
“I don’t think they have seen us yet,” Shef said.
“Good, then maybe we can get away. If they get their hands on any of this new information, that’s it for us.”
“Right,” Shef said with a nod. “Let’s go.”
They raced to the bay, and Zander’s heart thudded in his chest. He still wasn’t very comfortable with being in control of such a large ship. He had only just been promoted, and having all the people on the ship’s lives in his hands was intimidating. He was terrified of failing them, and failing Kane. Their mission was a noble one, one that could liberate the thousands of races in the galaxy and keep the deadly virus at bay once and for all. One mistake and he could ruin everyone’s chances at liberation.
“Hyper drive!” Zander ordered. He paced until he heard the familiar charging sound and the ground began to shudder under his feet. Soon, they were traveling at warp speed through the stars, leaving the Codan ship far behind them.
Chapter Two
Pria opened her eyes in alarm. The room was shaking, and there was nobody in sight to tell her what was going on. She tried to speak but couldn’t get any words out. Whatever she had been given was still working on her.
“It’s all right,” the same musical voice that had spoken to her before said soothingly. She felt a warm pressure on her shoulder that sent a jolt of longing through her, but the hand seemed far away, as if it weren’t really there at all. Or maybe it was an impression from a dream.
“I’ll keep you safe,” the mysterious stranger said. “There will be a few loud noises soon, but after that things will be back to normal. It’s just the engines. We have to pick up speed or we will all be in danger.”
Engines? Was she being transported in some kind of cargo train? What the hell was happening to her?
“Don’t try to move or talk, the danger will soon pass. Don’t be alarmed. We will make sure you’re all right. I have to stake my own life on yours, so trust me, you are precious and you can count on my utmost protection.”
The man’s words soothed her, and she turned her eyes up, squinting past the bright lights. She could make out his silhouette. He was tall; handsome and muscular. But there was something so strange about the way he looked. She wondered if maybe he had a deformity. Or maybe she was hallucinating from whatever drugs she had been pumped full of. Lord knew she felt a little sick to her stomach. There was no telling what was in her system.
But despite that, her eyes lingered hungrily on him. He was wearing a tight black suit that showed off the angles of his muscular body and the generous bulge near his groin. Not only was he handsome, but he was well-endowed. She made a note of this as she tried to force herself to remember anything from the time before she was sedated.
All that came back to her were confusing fragments, like those of a dream. Memories of her boyfriend Paul telling her that it was over, that he wanted to see other people. Things had been rocky for a while, and although he had been a bit abusive toward her, she had done her best to stick with him through thick and thin. They had been together since high school and she had helped to support him through college. But despite that, he still believed that he could do better than Pria and had been flirting with a woman from the grocery store for a few months before they broke up. She had been mildly tolerant of his obvious flirting, but when they broke up she realized that he had been serious and had the audacity to do it right in front of her. It was infuriating.
Had she killed him? Was that why she was being detained? Maybe in a fit of rage she had just blacked out and done the worst to him. Lord knew he deserved it. Or maybe she’d had a mental breakdown. She didn’t think she cared that much about him, but, frankly, her career was in the toilet as it was. She’d had to hold off on her own education to put Paul through school, and she had gone into debt to pay off his loans. It took everything she had to help him thrive, thinking that they would be able to live the rest of their lives out together as husband and wife. But he had never even mentioned proposing, and had probably just been using her from the start.
Pria groaned and leaned back on the pillow. It was exquisitely soft. She almost felt like a princess on it. Was she covered up? Was she tied down? Anything might give her a clue about her whereabouts. But still, her neck was paralyzed and she couldn’t see down to her body. All she could take in were the vague shapes around her peripheral vision, something like large machines, and the metallic ceiling. Maybe it really was some kind of armored car, taking her off to the psych ward or the police station.
Suddenly the whirring noise stopped and the room stopped rumbling.
“There, the ship has slowed down. You see? Nothing to be afraid of. It was just a little bump in the road so to speak.”
The man came into her sights again and flashed her a dashing smile. Something about his proportions…his mouth was a little too big, but that just seemed to make his smile all the more radiant. And his hairstyle was strange. Long black hair, but thin and intricate spiral designs were shaved into his head, showing smooth bald skin underneath. And those eyes. They seemed to see right through her.
She was trying so hard to move or spe
ak, to fight off the sedation and regain some control over her situation. Finally, a squeak. He perked up upon hearing the noise and turned his intense gaze upon her, quirking one eyebrow as if he were listening intently. It was an expression no other man had ever given her before.
“Who are you?” she whispered. Finally, some control. She reveled in her victory for a moment as he gazed at her.
“Most people can’t speak for weeks after that,” he murmured to himself, shocked.
What did he mean by that? After what? She felt suddenly afraid.
He seemed to sense the fear in her and his face softened.
“No, it’s nothing bad. Well at least, I’m trying to compliment you. My name is Zander. I’m going to come back tonight and then we can see what we can do to get you to feeling a bit better and understand your situation.”
Zander nodded at her courteously and turned his back. Pria let her eyes roam his body greedily as he walked out of her range of vision. He moved gracefully, fluidly almost, as if he were from another world. His movement matched the musical sound of his voice, and he paused just as he was about to leave her peripheral vision, almost as if he could sense that she wanted just a few more precious moments with the graceful curve of his body as it moved away.
Chapter Three
Zander walked through the doors of the holding chamber and they slid closed behind him. He pushed through the doorway of the observation chamber and stood over the scientists who were huddled inside, pouring over a steady stream of data that was coming from the machines hooked up to Pria’s body.
“How was it that she was able to speak?” Zander demanded. Humans were never able to recover so quickly.
“She must have immense willpower,” one scientist, Able, said. “And possibly a genetic predisposition to drug intolerance. If she is truly the one Korda told me about, then this is a great sign.”
“I see,” Zander said, pressing his hand against the two-way mirror. He gazed at Pria lying on the table, strapped down as if she were some kind of prisoner. It made his heart ache. The poor woman had no idea what was going on. He wished he could stay in there, soothing and comforting her. It was the only way he could find peace within himself about what they were doing to her.
“How are her readings?” Zander asked finally, turning away from the helpless woman. If he continued to stare at the way her flowing auburn hair lay on her delicate shoulders, and the way her ample bosom rose and fell against the wires connected to her chest, he wouldn’t be able to get anything done for the rest of the night. He had never been so entranced by another being before.
“They’re sensational,” Able said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe a creature like this exists in the universe. I want to send a sample of her blood to Korda and Capt. Kane right away.”
“All right, leave that to me. I’ll be going in tonight for the next round of testing, but it will require complete privacy. I’ll get a sample of her blood then. But I don’t want anybody else going in that room, is that clear? Just because she might be immune to the virus, doesn’t mean she is immune to the communicable diseases from our planet. And I’ve been hearing you sniffling this past week, so please just stay put. She’s far too valuable.”
“I understand, of course.”
“Not even in the suits, do you understand?”
“Anything you wish, Captain.”
“Thank you.”
“She trusts you, Captain,” a scientist who was usually shy said. Krill’s face was flushed when she said it and she was repressing a knowing smile. He had always suspected that she had a crush on him, but he didn’t have time for romance and she had never been bold enough to make a move, so everything was all right. It shocked him how Pria was holding his attention. He’d never been particularly fixated on anybody specific before.
Krill’s words sent a jolt of excitement through Zander’s chest. The first human he had ever seen actually trusted him. Krill had it in her charts, documented proof that the human was responding to him biologically and mentally much the same way he felt he was being pulled toward her. They ignited each other’s pleasure centers. Hopefully, that would still be the case when he admitted the truth to her about where she was and how she had gotten there.
“Great job, everybody,” Zander said, ignoring what Krill said and tucking it away to secretly examine later. “Don’t give her any more drugs. There are things I need to talk to her about. You’ll all be dismissed at L-300.”
“Yes, sir,” Able said with a dutiful nod. Zander nodded formally at them as he left, his mind occupied with what he would tell Pria that night when he went to administer more tests. Hopefully nothing would go wrong.
***
That night, Pria was sleeping soundly when she heard the door to her room slide open. It must have been a pretty high-tech establishment they had her holed up in if the doors had such a quiet mechanical whirr. She felt apprehensive until she heard the comforting and familiar musical voice of the handsome man she had seen earlier in the day.
“Good evening, Pria,” he said, standing beside her bed. She was surprised to find that her neck was free of the hold that the drugs had over her while she had been sedated. She swallowed hard and tried her voice, but it was dry and squeaky.
“Try this,” Zander said softly, handing her a small glass with a clear liquid in it. Pria had assumed it was water, but when she tasted it she crinkled her nose. It tasted like alcohol and went down harsh like a shot of liquor. However, when it was down, all of her discomfort faded and she felt better than she had in years. There wasn’t even any aftertaste.
“What the hell was that?” she asked, raising her eyebrow at Zander.
He didn’t answer for a moment. His eyes were fixed firmly on her, taken aback by the sound of her voice. It was brazen and husky, but feminine at the same time. She was a fighter, he decided, and a uniquely stunning one at that. No wonder she had been able to fight off the sedation so quickly. She needed to take care of herself and she was going to do that however she could.
“Seriously, was it a magic potion of some sort? What are you feeding me? And where am I?”
Her voice was different than the women from his planet. Lower, more sensual. The accent with which she spoke was captivating. Pria noticed Zander staring at her and raised her eyebrow.
“Why are you looking at me like I’m from another planet or something?” she asked, shifting nervously on her bed.
Zander laughed despite himself and shook his head helplessly. He didn’t really know what to tell her or where to start.
“Maybe you are,” he said.
“Yeah right. And I suppose you’re actually feeding me a magic potion that can make me feel all better.”
“Well…it’s not magic actually. It’s science. Much more advanced than what you’re used to on your own planet. But I don’t think I can explain that very well right now.”
“Wait, are you being serious?” Pria asked, suddenly concerned. Here she had been thinking that she was the crazy one, being shipped off in an armored car. But maybe she was wrong. Had she been kidnapped by a group of psychos?
“I don’t have an easy way to tell you this,” Zander said, shifting nervously. They usually had a protocol for speaking to the abductees, but since Zander had been the head of his class when it came to diplomacy and human relations, he had been given the difficult task of breaking the news to her. But he had never actually spoken with a human before, and now he was feeling like his interest in the classes had been a huge mistake. He was nowhere near prepared enough for this. He ran his hand through his hair nervously and looked down at the floor.
Pria watched him closely, her perceptive blue eyes flashing thoughtfully as Zander tried to gather his thoughts. She sat upright, finally feeling like her old self again.
“Where you are…it’s called the Legend. It’s our ship. I would like to give you a tour of your room. It will explain all you need to know. Please, follow me.”
Zande
r approached her and offered her his sculpted arm. He had a body unlike any she had seen on Earth; firm and broad like the sculpture of a Greek god.
Pria got shakily to her feet and looked around the room for a first time. It was huge and metallic, and the bed she had been laying on was surrounded by strange looking machines. She had never seen anything like it before. But what really startled her was when Zander led her away from the machines and toward a huge window that looked out into an oppressive black sky full of stars – the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
“Look over there,” Zander said. “Do you see that round, shimmering ball of light?”
“Yeah,” Pria breathed, her hand on the glass that was separating her from the abyss outside.
“That’s Earth. Your planet. My captain, Kane, he took the data from the hospitals on Earth and had me find you. We abducted you while you were sleeping. You’re our only hope. We have no future without your help.”
“What are you talking about?” Pria asked, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. Everything out of this man’s mouth sounded ridiculous. She was clearly in space, but how could this be happening?
“What I mean to say is, you’re special,” Zander said, his handsome brow contorting in worry. “Your body has a special genetic sequence that can fight a virus that has been wiping out several species. These people are going extinct, and quickly. Without your help, the Codans will enslave the survivors of this plague. And that includes the people on your planet. So you can sort of see how you might have a stake in this…”