by A. Petrov
Just at that moment he looked over the little female’s body. He could see that she had many deep scars and wounds on her left arm. Some of them were fresh. He rummaged around his medic emergency bag and found some salve. He gently applied it to her fresh wounds.
Were more alike than I thought. What happened to you baby? I’m one ugly SOB and you’re one beautiful female despite the scars.
Serik thought back to the past five years he had spent alone. Occasionally, he would see a friendly face such as Bock but mostly it had just been him going between the realms on his own.
He studied her delicate features and her creamy white skin.
Baby, you are perfect. I don’t deserve you but I’ll keep you safe from now on. Well, until I find somewhere safe for you to stay. I can’t keep you here with me, no matter how pretty you are. It’s not like you would want to stay any way.
Serik tried to shove the loneliness back inside of him. It felt like he was a pot and the loneliness was boiling water trying to reach for the top. He tried as much as he could but he just couldn’t hold it back.
He had tried everything to ward off the loneliness that plagued him. He had once believed he would find a female from another planet that would find him attractive but that never came into play. It had been a comforting thought for many years. The woman he imagined in his head was always faceless and nameless but comforting nonetheless. In all of his Baat explorations to other planets there were few females. After many years of trekking and battling unknown enemies, his time in the Baat military was over. He had turned to bounty hunting to continue his love exploring the universe. It wasn’t until his friend Bock talked him into trading that he then decided to be more of a businessman. Going into the trade business had been profitable, risky at times with pirates, but it was well worth it. Due to his intimidating size and mark of evil he was left alone for the most part.
His intergalactic bank account was full. He had plenty of money to say the least. He sent much of back home to make sure his family, especially his mother and his little brother. He was proud that his family could live in comfort and ease because of him. It was one thing that always kept him going.
He looked back down to the little female in his care.
Please live.
He wasn’t sure why he had saved her or why she was so important to him; he didn’t even know her.
I’m just feeling a natural protectiveness a male feels for a female he told himself. It is in my nature to protect females.
He sighed.
Look at me thinking and acting like a lovesick Baat pining for an outerworld mate.
He thought back to the Baat who had left his home realm to seek mates beyond his planet. It was true he was genetically compatible with the little female.
Shit, why am I even thinking about all this? I’m half evil, I’m bad luck. I’m meant to be alone.
If you’re bad luck? Why did you find and save her just in time? A little voice spoke up from the back of his mind.
He shook his head trying to get her delicate features, long hair, and slender body out of his mind as he looked up medical care for humans.
Chapter Twenty
Michelle squinted her eyes and felt the cool air around her. She tried to look around but everything was blurry. It felt cold and damp. She tried to feel around her but everything seemed to just slip through her fingers. She struggled to move but she felt pinned down. She pushed harder against whatever was holding her down but she remained motionless.
Where am I? In some sort of cave?
Suddenly, she was almost blinded by a strong bright light. It felt as though there was a giant spotlight shining down the end of a hallway. She squinted and blinked rapidly. The light was painful at first. She blinked a few more times before her vision was able to adjust to it. The light seemed to chase away most of the darkness surrounding her but she was still unable to make out anything around her. She tried again to move but her body just would not comply. A feeling of desperation overwhelmed her.
“Michelle?” she heard a faint voice called.
“Who’s there?” she replied as she tried to stand. Her voice was hoarse and troubled.
Slowly, her legs wobbly, she arose. She made her way closer to the light. She felt cold and weak but she relentlessly forced her body to cooperate and move forward.
She could see a feminine form. She moved in closer. She felt as though she were an infant learning to walk again. Each movement was a struggle. She stumbled forward almost following. She slowly steadied herself and she could see that the figure had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
No, no it can’t be?
“Mother?” she cried out as she moved closer. She could see her delicate features and happy smiling face. “How can this be? Am I dreaming?”
She ran to embrace her as her legs now fully cooperated with her movement. Her mother gathered her in her arms and hugged her tight. Her mother’s embrace felt warm and comforting.
“I love you, Michelle but I have to it’s not your time yet,” she said as she broke the embrace. She gave Michelle a hard shove causing her to stumble backwards.
“Mom?” she replied confused and hurt. Her mother had never once shoved her in her entire life.
At once the light left and she couldn’t make out anything as there was nothing but darkness around her now. It felt like being trapped in a bad dream, one where she was unable to open her eyes to turn on the light in her bedroom. She tried harder to move but it abruptly felt like she was stuck. She felt paralyzed. She tried to move again but her body would not cooperate with her mind.
The darkness persisted with no sign of another light. Michelle felt a sense of panic rise in her body as she tried to stay calm. She tried to trace her fingertips on what was around her but it felt like there wasn’t anything; just that which slipped between her hands. She tried harder to push herself up, to move, to do anything, but alas she could not. In an anxious and fearful state, she sat perfectly still unsure of what to do next.
Another voice called out to her breaking her anxiety, “Soldier.” The voice practically boomed rattling off of whatever was around her.
Michelle didn’t know why but she just instinctively knew it was God.
“Lord?” she replied.
“It is not your time,” the voice said. Although the words were disappointing, the voice was extremely soothing.
“But I’ve been through so much pain, so much hurt… Please let me stay. Please let me go be with my mother and father. Please, I can’t go back… it is too much,” she pleaded as tears began to freely flow down her cheeks.
“I know child but you are still needed. Someone needs you,” the voice was kind and loving. Just hearing the words made her feel safe and secure. It made her feel like everything was going to be alright.
And just as suddenly as she had been in the darkness she jolted up and gasped for breath. Her eyes opened and she was in a well lit room. She blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the light.
“I’m, I’m here,” she struggled for breath looking around the room and then to the massive male figure beside her.
“I am still alive,” she gasped again trying to take in more air.
She could make out a large male figure beside her. She reached out for him. He grabbed her hand and she gave it a hard squeeze. She had to make sure that wherever she was at was real. She wasn’t dreaming or in limbo between Heaven and Hell. His hands felt rough and they were so large, she realized. She quickly realized that he wasn’t human; it was someone or something else. Whatever he was, he was huge. She looked up to his face to study it; his eyes looked red and puffy.
He’s been crying. It seemed to her that someone of his stature and masculinity would never cry.
“I thought I lost you,” he said softly.
He pulled her small body close to his.
Although he was almost a complete stranger it felt right to be touched, to be held, by another being. She felt safe, safe fro
m the awful place she had just been. She had been terrified she was going to be left there to rot, paralyzed, unable to move.
He saved me.
She shortly relished his embrace before everything went black again.
Chapter Twenty-one
Michelle slowly opened her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttered as they adjusted to the dim light.
Where am I? Am I still alive? What the Hell happened?
Groggily, she sat up. Her head felt as though someone had taken it off of her neck and used it as a bowling ball. Everything felt mixed up and everything hurt. Her lips felt chapped and her mouth felt dry. Her body ached. She felt like Hell. She wondered why God didn’t take her and left her to suffer like this. He had taken most everyone else but why not her? Surely, he will take me soon, she somewhat thought and somewhat prayed.
She blinked a few times and then looked over the male sitting beside the bed. Everything was bleary as she forced herself to see. She gasped when she fully saw him.
“Hey, hey calm down are you OK?” Serik asked as gently as he could. His voice sounded strange to him. He wondered if he had forgotten how to talk to a woman as he had been by himself far too long. He worried he would frighten the little female.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she grabbed a hold of the large man next to her. She knew he was the one that had saved her.
“Thank you,” she cried burying herself into his chest.
“I… uh…” Serik stuttered not sure what to say.
It had been many years since he had contact with a female and none were ever as beautiful as the one that was clinging to him. He couldn’t remember a female initiating physical contact with him, only running from him. He pulled her onto his lap and held her.
Suddenly, Michelle realized what she was doing. What the Hell? I am climbing all over this man’s lap like I’m some sort of frightened child.
“Forgive this soldier,” she said as her cheeks turned bright red.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over,” she added as she began to scoot away from him.
“Forgive you for what?” he questioned.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that it felt right as she left his embrace.
I must be going mad. What is wrong with me?
“I, I don’t even know you and here I am on top of you. You must think I’m crazy,” she said straightening out her uniform. Her blush was still brightly painted on her face.
“It’s OK,” he said giving her a sly grin.
“You’ve been through a lot, I think it’s understandable,” he added as his eyes met hers.
She studied his mismatched eyes.
One golden and one light blue, how beautiful, she thought to herself.
“Thank you for saving me,” she stammered. It felt like an awkward acknowledgments of a fact rather than an expression of sincere gratitude. “I owe you my life,” she said taking in his large presence in the room. He had to be over 7’ tall. Michelle had never seen anyone that tall except for professional basketball players; well, that is when she was younger and there were still professional sport teams before the invasions. There hadn’t been sports beyond children playing in quite some time.
Unlike a basketball player, he wasn’t lanky. He was well built and extremely large. His shoulders were broad and she could see the definition of large muscles beneath is clothing. He was massive and muscular to say the least. He was muscular and obviously extremely strong but not so much so that he looked like a professional body builder; it looked natural for his body type. His skin was lightly tanned. It was similar to shades on Earth yet different; he was almost golden. She studied his one light blue eye and one golden hazel eye. He had neatly trimmed dark hair. His face had a scar which barely missed his light blue eye but his scars were green unlike the pink or white scars on her own body. She took a deeper look at his face. He was incredibly handsome despite the scars. He had model like looks with a high forehead and strong cheekbones. He had a sensual mouth with what looked to be full enticing lips.
Michelle drew her eyes away from her strange, handsome, savior and looked down at her arm, examining it. It felt sticky as though there was some sort of ointment on it.
I’m lucky to still have an arm, I’m lucky to be alive. Damn molcos hunds. Damn Redex. Damn Earth Army. Damn Cabaka, she silently cursed to herself.
***
She’s beautiful, no, she’s stunning, Serik thought to himself. He had seen her before but her eyes, her big beautiful, doe like eyes, put things in a completely different perspective.
He studied her deep green eyes and flowing auburn hair. They were shades he had never seen before through all of his travels. He looked over her thin body. She was thin, extremely thin. She was somewhat muscular as well but not so much so in a way that made her masculine, no, she was still very feminine especially in her facial features. Her large eyes were framed by thick black eyelashes; she had a small nose, high cheekbones, and small pink lips. She was the definition of beauty on any planet.
She’s gorgeous, she could have any male she wanted not some ugly, banged up guy like you, Serik sharply reminded himself.
“Are you feeling OK? I guess, stable at least?” he asked trying to break the suddenly awkward silence.
She nodded slowly. He handed her a small glass of water.
“Thirsty?” he asked.
She nodded and took the water. She slowly took a few sips in. She looked over to the IV-like contraption that was in her right arm. She wondered if she could take it out. It didn’t hang on a stand like the ones at home on Earth, no it was in a much smaller bag fastened to her arm to allow for movement.
She looked up to him making eye contact with him.
“I am known as Serik. What is your name?” he questioned not breaking his eye contact with her.
Michelle shook her head ignoring his question. “Are you human?” she asked hoarsely. She took another sip of the water.
She knew the answer already but still she had asked.
He couldn’t be but he looks very similar to me, she thought to herself.
“No, I am of Baat descent,” he replied as he always did when someone from an off world asked him. It was a half lie.
Serik furrowed his brow as he examined her left wrist. “What is this black mark you have?”
“It is my code I am soldier number A3343Z,” Michelle replied quietly.
“Yes, but what is your name?” he asked again.
“I am A3343Z,” she replied giving him a discerning look. It was the first thing that had come to her mind. It was the code that had been drilled into her since training. It was what would identify her to the Earth Army if she was ever captured. She supposed this constituted being captured.
“You Earth people are funny. You have numbers and letters as names? This is what you call each other? That is not what I remember from school… I thought you had names similar to ours,” he said as a confused look spread over his face.
She put her hands to her head and rubbed her temples. Her head hurt like Hell. “No, I uh… well, you are right. Right now, I don’t remember my common name. It will come to me in....”
“You did take a pretty bad fall,” Serik replied with a look of concern on his face.
“The food given to us at the base had memory fog. I have forgotten many things such as my family, my previous occupation before becoming a soldier. Maybe that could have something to do with it too,” Michelle added slowly as the headache began to worsen in her temples. She had a name, she knew she did. She just couldn’t remember it, everything felt fuzzy and jumbled. She struggled to make sense of everything. Every muscle in her body ached. She felt the familiar wave of pain wash over her as she shut her eyes again.
“Oi, I heard about that… Didn’t think they actually did that,” Serik replied giving her an even more concerned look.
Great, this puts a whole new spin on your recovery, Serik thought to himself. Memory fog was a serious thing. He had heard rumors o
f the Earth Army using it but he didn’t think they actually did. It was new and it was dangerous. The consumer of memory fog would forget who they were, become almost robotic but upon withdraw their strongest memories would return, not to mention there would be a physical withdraw along with intense confusion, dizziness, migraines, body aches, and fatigue.
“I… actually my Earth name is coming back to me. How long have I been out? Oh wait, it doesn’t matter time passes differently here,” she said as she continued to rub her temples as the pain increased.
“My Earth name, my civilian name was Michelle,” she said softly as her headache grew to an almost unbearable pain. The words felt like they weighed twelve tons as she tried to get them out.