by Shae Mills
Korba smiled, but not a single muscle flinched at her solicitous touch. "Come, let me introduce you to your assignment," and Korba turned, leading Marri up to the platform by the arm. Only when right beside the bed did Marri look down and see the ashen creature.
Marri immediately recoiled, and Korba noted her poorly concealed response. He was not sure if her reaction was simply due to an alien life form or to another woman in his bed. But he was pretty confident that it was a combination of both.
"You surprise me, my Lord," she stated icily.
Korba could tell by the candor of her voice and her use of his formal title that Marri was not going to be pleased with her new assignment. "I can assure you right now that your analysis of the immediate situation is wrong," he corrected. He sat down beside the frail being. "She was a little research project Manza secretly dragged onboard and failed miserably with. Now, she is my project."
Marri looked down at Korba, her features betraying her abhorrence. "Your little project to what end? Why don't you simply eliminate her?" she seethed.
Korba stood. "I am not willing to discuss my plans or reasoning with you, or anyone else, nor am I obligated to do so." Korba also knew that he would have enough difficulty explaining things to himself, let alone to anyone else.
"I have chosen you to help me with her because I know that I can trust you implicitly. Why I need you otherwise is of no consequence for the time being. The fact is that I need a woman's assistance. Will you help?"
Marri could tell by his eyes that all kidding was to be put aside. He had assumed his role as her Commander, and even though his wishes had been stated as a request, she knew that they were a direct order. Marri nodded her affirmative and followed Korba from his chambers. At the control center, he seated her in his chair and called up a screen of information.
Marri looked up at him with deference. "May I ask who she is?"
"Her name is Chelan. She is from the planet Calley, and her presence on this ship is between you and me and a select few. Is that understood?"
Marri did not have to reply. It was automatically understood. She could also tell by Korba's tone that asking further questions was not a wise choice.
Marri looked at the screens as Korba spoke. "This is one of the languages of Calley, referred to as English. I know that you are proficient at dialects so learning this one will not take long. I want you to begin immediately."
Marri nodded at Korba and then turned her attention to her task. Korba moved quickly in response to the indicator light, and Fremma allowed Stose in. Marri glanced over her shoulder as the two men disappeared into Korba's quarters. There was more to this than what met the eye, and this alien was possibly more than a simple project. Why else had Korba allowed the woman to live? And Calley? Marri's mind searched. She knew of a mission that had been forced there recently, and she believed that it was Tarn who had led it. She smiled to herself. He would be her next visit after Korba released her from her so-called assignment. But she would have to watch her step, as she had no desire to cross her Commander. And she could not possibly let Tarn know that the alien was still alive. Her life depended on that.
Marri's reticence suddenly turned to suspicion bordering on distress. She felt an overwhelming need to get as much information on the sickly woman as she possibly could. Her sole pursuit in her personal life had always been Korba, and her chief adversary had always been his stubbornness and his persistent resistance to her advances. But time had always been her ally, and she had always intuitively known that he would eventually accede to her. Now she felt that things had changed dramatically. Her goal was still to have the Empire's most powerful Warlord for her mate, but her opponent now appeared to be the insignificant alien lying in his bed. Marri realized that the ally of time had suddenly become her foe. Instinct and the vile feeling in the pit of her stomach told her she had to work swiftly, and she had to work discretely.
Chapter 10
Chelan struggled for consciousness, her mind drifting in and out of absurdity. Finally she forced her eyes open, realizing that she was still alive and praying that her plight had improved. She searched her memories for clues but found little.
She blinked at her unfamiliar surroundings, the lighting dim. The walls were bare and the furnishings sparse. Everything seemed to be a dark grey, her coverings the only reprieve from the enveloping bleakness. She was warm and comfortable in a huge soft bed, fine white sheets and blankets cocooning her. At least her circumstances had improved a little.
She tentatively began flexing each muscle, looking for signs of injury but detecting nothing. Feeling slightly more at ease, she began to reassess her situation. Maybe all that had gone before had been a nightmare, the whole previous encounter with the two men in the white room some strange reaction to a bump on the head. How else could she rationalize her much improved situation now? All that had happened before seemed light-years away.
Suddenly, she sensed a presence. Straining against the darkness she could see a figure approaching her from below and beyond. From the silhouette, Chelan knew it was a woman.
"Hi there," came a light and friendly voice. "Watch your eyes."
Chelan quickly closed her eyes as the light intensified. After a moment of adjustment she peered up at her company. The dark-haired woman walked with grace and refinement as she approached the bedside. She was tall, her body slim. Her shoulders were wide and powerful, her arms muscular, and her skin was a deep bronze, as though she had spent weeks basking on a sun-swept beach.
"My name is Marri," she said as she extended a hand and sat on the bed next to Chelan.
Chelan tentatively reached for her and noted the woman's powerful grip. "My name is Chelan," she offered weakly. "Where am I?"
Marri hesitated, remembering Korba's instructions. "You're safe, Chelan, and I will take care of you until you are well enough to get up."
Chelan once again searched her mind for clues and details, still unsure of her predicament. She sucked in a large and uneasy breath, almost afraid to ask her next question. "Am I still on RIBUS 7?"
"Yes," smiled Marri. "But you are no longer in the medical center, and you have been liberated from Stose and Manza."
"Stose and Manza," Chelan repeated in a whisper. She had forgotten. "They said that I'm in space."
"And so you are," replied Marri. "Please accept that it is a long story leading up to how you came to be here, not to mention an unfortunate one, but you are safe, and no one will hurt you. And since you are here, and once you are well, you can help us with information about your people and Calley, or Earth as you call it. We, the people of Iceanea and the Empire, shall in turn answer your questions."
Marri was captivating, and for the first time Chelan focused on the dilemma at hand rather than on her losses at home. This Marri, she decided, had been sent to smooth things over, and Chelan knew that it would be in her best interest to accept the woman's hospitality until she was strong enough to escape. Play along, she thought, and learn as much as possible about these people.
Marri continued, her voice straining slightly. "You are privileged, my dear. The Commander of this vessel has seen fit to oversee your recovery personally. I am sure that you will come to appreciate his company."
Chelan had no intention of dealing with any more men, let alone their leader, whoever he was and whoever they were. But she needed more information. "Are you his wife?"
Marri stumbled. That question had never come up in her discussions with Korba and it instantly hit a nerve. "No, I am a friend of his," she replied as evenly as she could.
Chelan caught the well-concealed pain and would keep it in mind for future use. "Is this his bed?" she asked, watching Marri closely.
The smile on Marri's face wavered, but she recovered quickly. "Yes, yes, it is."
Chelan flinched at the edge in Marri's tone, and she decided to proceed more cautiously. "You must be very special to him." Chelan watched the light return to Marri's eyes, and she knew she had said the
right thing.
But Marri sprang to her feet, startling Chelan. "Right now, it's time for you to eat," she stated.
Chelan suddenly became aware of her intense hunger and agreed by simply nodding.
"What can I get you?" Marri asked graciously.
Chelan grinned, "What do aliens serve?"
Marri laughed and then caught herself. She was almost beginning to like this little alien... unfortunately, and that made her even more of a problem. "Whatever is desired," she offered.
"Just some fruit, please. I'll eat light for a while."
"A good choice," replied Marri warmly. "There is a food dispensary here, but for your special order, I shall have to go out for a moment," and she turned and disappeared down the stairs.
Chelan waited until she was sure the woman was gone and then allowed herself to take in several badly needed deep breaths, her tension replaced by excitement. Could it be true? Could she be in space with actual aliens? It was the first time that she allowed this thought to be a real possibility. She licked her dry lips as she began processing the probability of such a scenario. No matter what her true predicament, she knew she had to pursue a different tack. It was obvious that, whoever these people were, they had complete control over her freedom and her life. Could this be a dream come true, a venture into the cosmos? She allowed herself a small smile.
But the smile quickly faded. What were the actual chances? All the other reported Earth interactions with extraterrestrials she had read about were far from this. She had heard of claims of abductions by strange little creatures, horrid experiments followed by amnesia-fogged releases. But this? Chelan had popped her own euphoric bubble, and now her mind went to work on her escape. This had to be some strange religious faction, so the plan was to become friendly, cooperate, gain their trust and confidence no matter how long it took, and then leave.
Chelan's thoughts were interrupted as she saw Marri approaching. "Here we are, fresh apples, oranges, bananas, and strawberries." Marri sat the large bowl down in front of Chelan.
Chelan looked at the proliferation of fresh fruit, her eyes widening, and then she grinned again. "Space, hey?" She stared directly at Marri. "So where did these come from? They're undoubtedly native to Earth, I'd say."
Marri smiled back at Chelan's smugness. "We had them... shall I say... shipped in... especially for you, of course."
The two women smiled slyly at one other. Chelan reached for a banana and began to eat the flavorful fruit, adding fuel and strength to both her mind and body, and to her plans of escape.
Marri watched her charge warily. There was trouble on the horizon. She could feel it in every pore of her body, and the catalyst for it was sitting right in front of her.
Chapter 11
Tarn stood on the Bridge of RIBUS 7 as Korba did one last systems check before turning the command of the battleship over to him. Tarn did not understand why he had been prematurely released from the temporary exile imposed on him for the Calley blunder, but he wasn't about to question his good fortune.
Korba's motive, however, was simple. Tarn was his most trusted and most competent Second-in-Command, and Korba wished more free time back in his quarters.
The Warlord had not been in direct contact with RIBUS 8 and Dar for several days now, and he had deliberately avoided such an interaction. He still could not explain his obsession with the alien, and the thought of submitting to an onslaught of interrogations from Dar was too much for his rattled mind to handle.
Korba checked the last control panel and turned to Tarn. "It's all yours."
"Yes, my Lord," came Tarn's acknowledgment as he moved to occupy the Commander's chair.
Korba entered the main corridor, his personal guards falling into step behind him. Today, more than ever, he was anxious to get Marri's progress report as his fascination with the young woman was intensifying with each passing moment. He had not seen the girl since he had brought her to his domain almost six days ago, and his desire to do so and to speak with her directly was mounting.
He entered into his personal Command Center and found Marri contentedly entering information into the computer. Korba appreciated what she was doing for him, as he knew it was not an assignment she willingly accepted.
Korba silently approached the warrior from behind, acutely aware of his uncanny ability to stalk his prey totally undetected. He held his breath and pressed his adumbral fingers into the nape of her neck. He felt the twinge of muscle tension precipitated by her surprise. Her anticipated reaction, no matter how muted, amused the Warlord.
Her head tilted back as she relaxed and gazed up into Korba's azure eyes. A smile erupted across her lips as she reveled in his strong, soothing touch. His expert fingers hit all the right pressure points as he moved out along her arms. Her hands crossed her chest and met his, stopping his gentle massage. Smoothly, she swung out of the chair that had been her captor for so long. Korba took a step back but she grabbed him around the waist, pulling him aggressively to her. "We could continue this elsewhere," she murmured seductively, "if only a certain bed were unoccupied."
The corner of Korba's mouth quirked at her sarcastic stab. He removed her hands from his waist and raised them to his lips, kissing them appreciatively. He gazed into her beautiful eyes. "Surely you can be more imaginative and adventuresome than choosing a simple bed."
Her smile broadened. "You tease me, my Lord," she said, removing her hands from his. "You simply wish to milk me for information."
Korba swung past her, removing his shroud and weaponry. He threw a sly look in her direction. "Only I know my true intentions for sure, my dear Marri."
"Yes, I suppose only you do," she replied sardonically. She did not attempt to hide her disappointment from him as she reached for her daily summary. Turning, she obediently followed him into the training area. "There's not much additional to report today, Sire. She's asking a lot of questions, good ones I might add, and she's finally on her feet."
Korba glanced at Marri as he removed his jacket. "What kind of questions?"
"Well, mostly about our culture and the Empire, but more importantly, she seems overly curious about the layout of the ship."
Korba sat on a bench and methodically removed his knives, followed by his knee-high boots. "The ship?"
"Yes, my Lord. All in all, my most important bit of information or advice would be to be wary."
Korba stood and stared at Marri. "Why?"
"She's far more intelligent and perceptive than we had ever thought possible for such a primitive. In fact, I would say that she's brilliant. Her uncontrolled emotions, I feel, prevent her from accepting the fact that she is on a ship in space, but her subtle questioning indicates an abrupt change in her approach to her dilemma."
Korba remained fixated on Marri, his silence urging her on.
"Basically, she's working on her escape, and she's convinced herself that she's going to have to fight us to get out of here."
Korba pondered Marri's words. "She has no idea of the futility of such actions," he stated almost sadly.
"Exactly," replied Marri. "But that's only because Calley has had limited exposure and access to space. She knows the odds of actually being in her present situation, and they are infinitesimally small. Therefore, she will not accept the probability of being in space no matter what we say. She still perceives us as a human cult group which, through time, and with her shrewdness, she will overcome."
Korba mulled over this information. For some unknown reason he had always felt Chelan was going to be special, but in just what manner he was not sure. But during this long and uneventful trip home he was going to find out one way or another, and that was now his priority.
Korba removed his uniform pants and strode toward the pool. Marri noted his nakedness and sucked in a large breath. Normally, the sight of a male body did little more for her than the sight of a computer. But Korba was different, and she fought for control and concealment of her immediate arousal. She knew his actions were
innocent, with no intent to aggravate her, for nakedness was common in their culture, any taboo toward it was shed long ago. Usually, only when there was an emotional attraction did the flesh excite.
The hard body of muscular steel knifed into the water without a ripple, and shortly Korba emerged from the icy depths, flipping his long hair from his face. "Care to join me?" he offered as he sank from sight.
Marri wanted desperately to join him but knew if she did, she would come as close to sexually assaulting one of the Empire's Warlords as possible, or would die trying. "No, thank you," she called out feebly as he surfaced at the far end of the pool.
Korba swam back to her. "Anything else?"
Marri composed herself as she shifted her focus from her heated desire to her task. "Yes, Sire, one thing. Stose was by earlier."
Korba pulled himself from the pool, the water cascading from his body in sheets. He reached for a towel and turned toward her. "What did he want?"
"He said that before she becomes fully active he wishes to do a complete physical on her, and he seemed to think that would present a problem."
Korba sat on a bench as he smoothed the towel through his thick hair. "Yes, it could," he replied almost absently. "For unknown reasons, she seems scared to death of physical exposure. I suppose it is some Calley cultural bias, maybe to do with their men abusing their women." Korba hesitated. "If you see him before I do, tell him his exam will come, but it will have to wait for my order."
Marri stepped forward and sat down next to him, taking the towel from him. He automatically turned from her and she gently removed the beads of water from his back. "He seems to be deeply interested in one particular panel." She hesitated, watching his back muscles tense.
"And what's that?"
"He wants more blood work, a pelvic scan, and a uterine and ovarian biopsy to determine her estrus cycle." Marri felt a chill envelop her at her Commander's silence. Marri had thought nothing of the doctor's request until Stose showed signs of being anxious. But now she was alarmed.