I’d never seen her so distraught. She was my rock, but to be honest, I was still a little pissed at her. Instead of making things worse, though, I tried to make the situation better. “Knock it off,” I grinned. “I’d rather be here with you than worried sick at home, wondering what happened to you.”
“I know, but I’m always doing stupid stuff and getting us into trouble. I just can’t seem to help myself.” Susan grimaced as she picked at the hem of her tattered shirt.
I didn’t want to think about what could happen; I refused to let my mind go there. I tried once again to lighten her depressed mood. I knocked my shoulder into hers and said, “But that’s why I love you so much. Life is an adventure when you’re around.”
A smile teased her lips. “Never a dull moment.”
“Not with you.” When she lifted her eyes, I held her gaze, needing her to understand. “You’re my best friend, Susan.”
“I’m your only friend.” A full smile spread across her face.
“Yeah, but only because you refused to leave me alone.”
“Someone needed to help you! For two months, I watched you sit by yourself during recess and pull at the grass. You always looked so serious.”
“God, Susan. That was fourth grade! You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?” I playfully smacked her shoulder.
“Nope,” she laughed. “Never.”
A jolt, and the humming of the engines changed.
Susan stared at me with wide eyes. “Oh, shit! I think we’ve landed somewhere. Quick, get back in the vent!”
I was already shaking my head no as I said, “I’ll stay with you.”
“No! You can’t help me if they find you here.” She knelt down. “Come on, stand on my shoulders.”
I stared at me best friend for a mere second before doing as she asked. I stepped on her shoulders and reached for the vent. I wobbled and almost fell off before I got my balance. I could barely grip the opening with the tips of my fingers. “Hang on a sec.” Susan said. She grabbed my lower legs and straightened to full height, grunting as she lifted me closer to the vent. Even though I was much closer, it was still hard for me to pull myself inside, but I somehow managed. Not even a minute later, I watched as two red-haired aliens burst through the door and dragged Susan from her cell.
Kavvan
“Padda, set a course for the Decca Sector.”
“Commander?” He turned his puzzled eyes on me.
“You heard me.”
“Yes, Commander.” He turned back around and did as ordered.
I sat in the captain’s chair, studying my holo-pad. King Mallik had ordered the Victory to investigate rumors of a black market. We were ordered to rescue any human females the Tureis might have captured to sell at this market.
“Commander, we will reach the Decca Sector in seven standard hours.”
“Thanks, Padda.”
I wanted to return to the Dreama Sector to help continue the fight against the Tureis there, but the Victory wasn’t needed there right now. Zekke had returned to lead the fleet, and with the help of the Curazins, they would soon rid Earth of its attackers.
“Did Aydan and Riley get home safely?”
I swiveled around and spotted Nikkul standing to just behind me and to my left. With Aydan now planet-side, Nikkul had been promoted to second in command.
“They did. The way I heard it, his mother was happy to see him and opened her home to his mate and her sisters.”
“Nikkul chuckled. “With those tiny young around, there will never be a dull moment.”
I smiled and nodded in agreement. The twins had no fear of anything and had quickly captured the hearts of every male on board.
Nikkul glanced down at the holo-pad and asked, “What do they think we’ll find in the Decca Sector?”
“A black market filled with slaves… human slaves.” I grimaced. The Tureis were known to sell anything for a profit, and Earth females would bring them a lot of credits. As an unknown species in the Decca Sector, they would be considered exotic and highly sought after.
“Let’s hope not.” Nikkul’s concerned face mirrored my own before I turned back to study the holo-pad.
~~~~~
I stood shoulder to shoulder with Nikkul at the rear of a boisterous crowd. Species from all over had shown up for the auction. Some owned pleasure houses, others used slaves for their own personal gratification. The species here were like the Tureis, uncaring about others, only taking what they wanted.
The auctioneer’s voice boomed across the crowd, quieting everyone to soft murmurs. “Attention everyone! Today we have a special treat for you.” Two Tureis dragged out a thin, red-headed female dressed in a torn shirt that looked more like a rag. It hid the area just above her knees, leaving her legs bare. She yelled while kicking and screaming at the two Tureis that held her. The auctioneer paid her no attention as he continued, “An unknown female species. Take a good look and let the bidding begin!”
“Let go of me, you fucking son of a bitch! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you!” She thrashed her head around and twisted her body, trying to free her arms. “MANDY!”
Standing next to me, Nikkul tilted his head sideways, bringing it closer to mine, and quietly asked, “Are you sure we need to save her? She has a foul mouth.”
I shot him an irritated glance and said, “Yes. Come on.”
We weaved our way through the crowd, heading to the front. When others spotted us coming their direction, they quickly stepped out of the way.
“300 credits!”
“400 credits!”
“1000 credits!”
I glanced at the one who bid last and sneered. A Gubu. They were known for their brutality to females during sex. A human female would not last a day with him before he killed her with his barbed shaft.
The auctioneer’s grin fell from his face when he caught Nikkul and me standing there with our arms crossed. I thought about fighting, but after glancing at the size of the crowd, I changed my mind. With a serious expression on my face, I raised my voice and said, “10,000 credits,” and gave him a looked that warned he’d better take the bid or else.
The auctioneer held my gaze, and after a moment of hesitation, he called out, “Sold!”
Growls of disapproval rang out, and someone shoved my back. I turned and stared down the one who challenged me. After seeing my deadly expression, he took two steps back before he turned and fled the area.
Without looking at Nikkul, I said, “Go get the female.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Nikkul turned, heading backstage to retrieve the female while I waited to see if they brought out another human.
“Next, we have a hard-working Bix.” The announcer’s voice boomed loud and clear. Bixes were servants, nothing more.
With that, I left to find Nikkul and the female. If they had had any more humans, they would’ve been brought out first.
I spotted them coming around the edge of the platform. Nikkul had just met the female, and he looked irritated. I wanted to chuckle at the sight.
“Let go of me, you son of a bitch.” The female kicked at Nikkul as she tried to get out of his grasp.
“Calm yourself. We’re here to help.”
I shook my head. “She can’t understand you.”
She whipped her head around, looked over her shoulder, and screamed, “Mandy!”
Nikkul glanced at me and frowned. “What’s a mandy?”
“I don’t know. Let’s go.”
The female twisted one way and then the other, trying to break free. It was all Nikkul could do to restrain her without causing injury. After a few standard minutes, I’d had enough. In one swift movement, I dipped, my arm wrapped around her upper legs, and I hoisted her over my shoulder while she continued to pound on my back, screaming the entire time.
We headed away from the marketplace toward the shuttle. The female never shut up. Her screams pierced my ears. If there was a way to quiet her down
, I’d have taken it. Instead, I held her in place, her arms pinned against her side as we headed for the ship.
Once on board the Victory, I headed straight to Medical. Her voice vibrated off the walls, “Let me go, you motherfucker! Mandy!”
When we reached sick bay, I leveled my gaze on Sora, the ship’s healer. “Sedate her and then implant the translator.”
“Yes, Commander.”
I laid her on the cot, but she bolted up. The irritation I felt leaked through. My head hurt from her high-pitched screams. “Healer, sedate her now!” I growled as I pushed her back down and held her in place.
When the healer tried to place the injector on her neck, she thrashed her head. “Nikkul, hold her head still.”
“Nooooo!” she screamed. Her high-pitched voice pierced my ears once again. The healer pressed the injector to her neck and delivered the sedative. “Make sure to implant the translator; it will make things much easier for all involved.”
“Yes, Commander.”
I glanced at the female one last time before stalking off to the bridge. The quiet of the corridor helped my aching head. When I stepped onto the bridge, I looked at the navigation officer and said, “Let’s go home.”
2
____________________
Alone
Amanda
By the time I scurried from the vessel, I was helpless to do anything but hide and watch. I didn’t understand the words, but when they dragged Susan onto a crude rusty stage, I knew what was happening. It was exactly what people on Earth thought.
My eyes narrowed with disdain as I watched a white-haired alien wrap his hand around Susan’s upper arm and pull her from the stage. They disappeared into the crowd, and I desperately tried to follow them with my eyes until they faded from sight. My heart pounded in my ears, my vision blurred, and I swayed a little. I was screwed.
From my hiding place, I could see snake-like creatures that walked upright, aliens with tentacles, there were even aliens shaped like humans, but they had four arms and a very different face. But the one thing they all had in common? The way they were dressed. They wore some sort of shiny jumpsuit over their bodies. It had to have a purpose. Glancing down at my clothes, I thought, Yeah, I’d definitely stand out like a sore thumb. Dressed in a dirty blue t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans, I looked very different than everyone else.
I stared at the purplish sky, wondering why Susan couldn’t have waited another hour before leaving the bookstore. My lips tightened in anger. I didn’t get mad at her often, but this was all her fault. She knew it wasn’t safe, but she ran full speed ahead anyway. Of course, I didn’t have to follow, but living with the guilt of doing nothing would have been worse than being stranded on an unknown planet. Maybe. Okay, probably not. What would happen to me now? Tears welled up in my eyes, but I pushed them back down. I needed to find a place to stay until I could think clearly, figure out what to do next.
The town reminded me of an Old West movie I’d seen before. I stood on a dirt path between two buildings, hiding from the rest of the planet. Under one of the buildings, a tiny crevice snagged my attention. I could hide there until nightfall. My heart beat double-time as I looked one way and then the other. There were a few others nearby, but when their backs were turned, I made a mad dash across the path while praying no one would turn around and catch me.
The adrenaline rush made my breathing come out in labored pants. With my back against a wall, I scooted down until I landed on my ass and cradled my knees with my arms. I could hear the hustle and bustle of the market, the yelling from the bidding, and I knew I couldn’t leave here for a while. With trepidation, I dropped my forehead to my knees and waited.
The sunlight faded; the sounds died down until it became silent. The darkness had settled around me. I knew I needed to leave, but go where? I threaded my fingers through my dark, tangled hair, trying to think. I didn’t know what dangers this world held, what kind of creatures it harbored.
“Think, Amanda,” I chastised myself and then bit my lower lip. I knew what I needed to do, but I was scared shitless.
I rose slowly to my feet; my legs hurt from sitting in that position for so long. I peered out of the opening. Empty. Everyone had left.
I stepped out to get a good look around. Small dome-shaped buildings lined each path. Some looked newly built while others had seen better days. Keeping to the side of the wall, I tiptoed to one of the older buildings and peered inside the dingy window. A store!
There was no handle to turn, no button to press. I stared at it until I said, “Open door.” Nothing happened. My shoulders slumped as I grumbled, “You’re such an idiot, Amanda.” I glanced around, looking for something to help open the door. When I spotted a long, thin, red rock, I wanted to shout with happiness… but I didn’t. Let’s hope this works. I pried the rock between the frame and the door and pulled with all my might, trying to pop it open. Each time, I was able to get the rock a little farther in, and after about the fifth time, the door popped open. “Yes!” I whispered excitedly.
The shop was small, but the selves were fully stocked. When I spotted the silver jumpsuits in the corner, I headed straight for them. I grabbed the smallest one I could find and stepped into it one leg at a time before bringing it up to my chest and sliding my arms through. It was too big, but I didn’t care as I pulled the hood up and covered my hair.
Looking around the rest of the store, I picked up several bars of what I hoped was food and shoved it in the pockets. I didn’t hear anyone come in, but someone had.
My head whipped around at the sound of yelling. His eyes widened in surprise when he locked gazes with me. He was a green alien with the body of a snake, except he had arms and legs as thin as twigs. I didn’t understand what the hell he said, but it couldn’t be good. I was stealing this stuff.
With my four pockets filled, two on the arms and two on the thighs, I tore out of there as fast as my legs would carry me. I ran down the empty path, weaving around buildings, and headed toward some trees.
I heard him behind me for a few minutes, but as I kept running, the sound disappeared. Up ahead was a forest, so I headed for cover. I’d just have to take my chances with any dangerous animals lurking around.
Too tired to run any longer, I leaned against the bark of a tree and heaved from exertion. After two or three minutes, my breathing slowed. I glanced back, hoping I wouldn’t spot him coming after me. When I was confident he’d given up the chase completely, I checked out my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the tree I was standing next to. “What the heck?” I touched the bark of the tree with my pointer finger, mashing as I went. It felt rubbery and smooth. Not hard and scratchy like Earth’s tree bark. “Huh.”
The hard ground had very little foliage growing in some places, while patches of waist-high plants grew in various areas. With the darkness surrounding me, I couldn’t tell much else.
I sat against the tree and drew my knees to my chest. Animal noises made me shiver, and I wondered how safe I actually was as I sat deathly still, trying to become a part of the tree itself.
I needed a plan, but nothing came to mind. I couldn’t steal a shuttle and leave here. I couldn’t speak to anyone and ask for help. I was stuck. Destined to live in the woods like an animal and steal what I needed at night. “Good job, Amanda.”
My mind turned to Susan. I couldn’t blame her for the situation. Yes, I could, I scoffed. No, I’m the idiot who followed her. When I thought about what the white-haired alien was doing to her, I started to panic. Were they raping her? Did they sell her to someone else? I couldn’t think of any other reason they would want a human. “Please be okay, Susan.” I closed my eyes before any tears could spill down my face.
Hey, Sooner! I smiled at my black and white dog as he licked my face. I loved my dog but hated his name. When our neighbor gave him to us, he’d already been named and answered to Sooner. “Why did you name him that?” I asked the gruff old man who used to be his owner.
&
nbsp; “’Cause he’d sooner shit in the house than later,” he growled.
I laughed as Sooner kept licking my face while I petted his soft fur. “Okay, okay, I’m getting up. Do you want to go outside?” He yapped in response and ran for the door.
When the dream dissipated, my eyes popped open, and something was licking my face. My fingers had twisted through fluffy fur. I jerked my hand and face away. “Oh, God!”
A round, medium-sized hair-ball stood stock still. I couldn’t see any eyes, but I knew it must be staring back at me. “Hey,” my breath hitched. “Hey there, little fellow.”
A long blue tongue darted out from somewhere beneath the fur and licked up my cheek.
One side of my mouth tipped upward. “Huh, you must be a friendly little fellow.” Hesitantly, I held my hand right above his little round body. He pushed up and rubbed against my hand. This little cotton-ball made me feel less alone.
“Where are you from, little guy?” I asked as I rubbed his little body. He was so odd and so friendly.
I pulled out some of the items I had stolen from my pockets. “Are you hungry?” I unwrapped something rectangular that was the size of a Hershey bar. The blue color was very off-putting. The little guy didn’t mind. In one swift motion, he opened a wide mouth with pointed, sharp teeth and swallowed the entire bar in one gulp.
I stared incredulously at him. This cute little fellow could do a lot of damage with those teeth that were now hidden under innocent white fluffy fur.
I pulled out another bar, but before I unwrapped it, I looked at the animal and said in a stern voice, “This one is mine.”
To my surprise, he didn’t try to take it away. It had a grainy texture that made my tongue feel thick. The more I chewed, the more it stuck in my mouth. Not only was it inedible, it tasted awful! I looked at… “You need a name. How about Cotton?” I chuckled. “Okay, Cotton. If you like it so much, you can have the rest.” Reaching into my pockets, I dug out the other bars. I unwrapped one and tossed it to Cotton. To my surprise, he caught it between his teeth before gulping it down in one swallow. I just shook my head and gave him the rest of them. “Knowing my luck, I stole dog food.”
Kavvan (The Azziarin Series Book 7) Page 2