Savior (The Inteli)

by Hazel Gower

  Dannina swirled back around glaring at her. “I’m getting to it. You need the back story, and maybe it will help you be scared that if not for us they might reach your planet.”

  Opal waved her hand for her to continue and watched as Dannina went back to a far-off place.

  “We were not prepared for their technology, or what their body fluids could do. Anyone who was with us who wasn’t Inteli never survived. Our bodies survived, the parts encased in our hard skin. However, our ships never did, and that’s where we lost people. We needed ships made out of a metal, or plate that could withstand the acid that they spat and that oozes out of them. So we turned our effort on that, and after many losses, we finally came up with the perfect solution, and the fight came back in our favor.”

  Dannina sat down exhausted, and Uvinya stood up taking over. “There are a lot of these beings, and we never thought they would go to our planet, but they did. The Doomickro wiped out cities and towns. You name it, they got to it.” Uvinya’s voice trembled. “A lot of us survived, but the disease from this wiped most of us out. The woman and children went first. We eventually found a cure for everything, just a little too late. The Inteli are strong. We picked ourselves up again and now have a shield around our world that is impenetrable. Our ships are state-of-the-art, so much so that the Doomickro stay away. We have a treaty with them that they will not harm any planet under our protection. The problem though is that they don’t know is we are nearly extinct. You see, most of our women died, and we messed up big time. This is where you two will come in.”

  Uvinya sat down and looked at Heather and her. “In the height of the war our scientists did some genetic modifications. They changed our genes so at first our birth rate went fifty-five percent boys to forty- five percent woman, and then we changed it to sixty-five, thirty-five. We always thought we would be able to change back. By the time we signed the treaty we were trying to reverse it because our birth-rate became eighty-five male to fifteen percent female.” Uvinya scrubbed her face. “We have had the treaty now for a century, tried everything we can to get our population back up to the numbers we need. Nothing has worked. Our women have become sterile. We haven’t had a true mate mating in over two hundred years. No one is willing to mate. With no possibility of children, we have a good number of Inteli women unmated, but it doesn’t matter. They cannot conceive anyway.”

  Opal was freaking out. Her mind started think up all kinds of things. Were the Inteli going to use them as experiments? Were they going to incubators and have hundreds of alien children? She prayed they weren’t taken for what her brain was coming up with, because she didn’t want to be a baby-making machine.

  Uvinya continued. “We have kept our dwindling numbers a closely guarded secret. With having no success at changing our percentages back, we have been looking to other species to help populate our own. The problem is so far in our travels we have only come across three beings that are compatible. The Mermonfrinch, who are green slimy fish species, or the Apas who are smaller than you, very primitive—so much so they don’t talk, just grunt, and their bodies are covered in rough hair. None of our men were willing to mate with either of these two. So that left humans, and once our men saw a picture of your species they were ready to go study your race more and acquire a sample or two.”

  She sat down, and Dannina got up. “Your planet is two moon cycles away from ours.”

  Heather spoke to the Inteli for the first time. “Two moon cycles. What is that converted to Earth time?”

  Dannina’s bright green eyebrows furrowed. “I think two months your time. We gathered as much information from your satellites as we could, restocked, researched, and explored. I’m delighted that our men find you attractive because you have several problems. One, you are so soft.” She walked across the room and grabbed Opal’s hand. “Soft, easy to break, hurt, and you are small. You also have short lifespans. That is easily fixed, though.”

  Opal stared at where Dannina’s hand held hers, then glanced around her and knew her eyes must be as big as saucers after that information overload.

  “Holy shit,” Heather mumbled.

  Uvinya smiled. “It doesn’t seem to matter to our men. Danickra didn’t hurt you, did he?” Uvinya turned her focus on Heather. “Salamanda didn’t hurt you?”

  They both shook their heads. Uvinya tapped Heather.

  “You, human, are one strong fighter. I have never seen any of our men run from anything. Poor Salamanda will never live this down.”

  Opal didn’t know if she could speak anymore. Her brain was going a million miles an hour with all the information floating about. She didn’t know how long she sat there. She knew Heather must have blocked off what everything really meant because she was laughing and chatting.

  Looking around the room she found the all-male crew throwing hungry glances their way.

  Turning back to the Inteli woman who had explained everything to her, she ran through everything in her mind again. It finally sank in that they had been taken to become brood mares. Baby-making machines. Oh God, how many men’s children would she have? Would they be her children, or would they be implanted and taken away?”

  Standing up she paced, getting angrier and angrier. “You took us to become your brood mares? Baby machines?”

  The women’s conversation froze mid-sentence.

  “Why, if you’re so advanced can’t you artificially inseminate women? Surely you have other options? I’m not a baby oven.” She looked around the room at the men. “I’m not sleeping with any more of you guys. I won’t do it. You will have to force me. I’m not sleeping with anyone else. I’m not letting anyone else touch me.” She felt arms wrap around her, and she screamed, fighting her capture, not caring who it was.

  Chapter Six

  Danickra came into the command room just in time to see Opal’s outburst. Going straight to her he wrapped his arms around her, and she fought him. “Please calm down. No one but me will touch you. This I promise. Only me.” Her struggles stopped, and she sagged in his arms.

  Uvinya gave a harsh laugh. “Oh young girl, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Danickra sat with Opal on his lap. He looked down to see her leaking water from her eyes.

  “We’ve been brood mares as you call them for centuries. I have lost hundreds of babies. That artificial insemination you are talking about doesn’t work with our men. We have tried everything. Our men’s sperm as you call it, doesn’t work as soon as it touches air or a device. We have tried several other devices, and many other things, all to no avail. You two young women our last hope. If you can have children we can go to your planet and retrieve more women.”

  Opal pushed against him. “Let me go”

  He reluctantly released her.

  She stood. “If we can’t give you these children will you set us free? Take us back to our home world?”

  Everyone looked to him, and he got up and walked to Opal. “No. You are mine no matter whether you can give me children or not.” The water that leaked from her eyes fell and slid down her cheek.

  He glanced around the room to see the sympathetic faces of the Inteli and also envious stares he was getting. What was it about these human woman that had Inteli men so enthralled?

  Danickra studied his youmnda. She was enchanting. Her long brown hair stuck everywhere in disarray around her, and her eyes were big pools to her soul. At the moment she looked devastated. His chest felt tight, and he could feel his heart beat pick up. He needed to make her smile, have her happy again. Danickra knew with every fiber of his being he didn’t want to see the look on her face ever again. It broke his heart. He turned away from her before he became the biggest sap and begged for her forgiveness. He was one of the most feared leaders, and yet this little human could bring him to his knees.

  Heather got up from her seat and grabbed hold of Opal’s hand. “This is not what she expected. Opal has been dreaming and reading about aliens since she was old enough to go to
the library. She became a librarian. She’s always been a dreamer. I knew it had to be something like this. Besides trying to take over our planet I don’t see any other use for us.”

  He turned to see Opal wipe her eyes, straighten herself, and glare at him. “I need to get out of here. How do we get out?”

  Danickra looked at his youmnda. He would say one thing for humans—they were very expressive. If looks could kill he would be dead right now. He glanced over at Uvinya and Dannina, who nodded. He looked around to see if anyone else would help him. They all looked to him like he should know what to do. Sighing, he turned back to the two women glaring at him. Sometimes he really hated being a leader and in charge of decisions. He really wished he’d brought his sisters, who’d both begged to come and said they would help, but he hadn’t wanted them in any dangerous situations.

  Figuring it should be okay to tell Opal and Heather how to get in and out of rooms as he’d made and designed the ship, so they should be safe. Danickra knew no one could get on or off the ship without him knowing.

  “It’s very simple really. As you know we each have our own shape. Therefore, if you’re going to go into one of the rooms press the shape. To enter areas where everyone is allowed there will be a pyramid. You will need to hold your finger on the door buttons as they will only open to heat. The doors with cylinders on them, open to restricted people.” Both women raised their eyebrows at that.

  He continued on. “Meals are given in shifts, so people are always at their posts. Three main meals are served although if you are hungry at anytime you are welcome to help yourself in the kitchens. There are two recreational areas. They will have the pyramid sign on door, surrounded by the ten clan shapes. This will also be on kitchens and the cafeteria.”

  Danickra studied the women to make sure they were listening. Heather was glancing around the room stopping at a new colored male each time and seemed to be measuring him up. Shrugging at the oddness he turned to Opal, who was focused solely on him. She continually looked him up and down like she was taking inventory. Her eyes finally met his, and she nodded, grabbed her friend’s hand, pressed the wall button to open it and stomped past him.

  Once the panel was shut laughter could be heard behind him. Salamanda came up and wacked him on the back. “They’re all laughing at us. I have a feeling these humans are going to cause some problem.”

  Turning to glare at everyone who laughed, Danickra said, “I have a feeling change is coming. I really don’t get why you are laughing considering these human mates are our last options. We really need to make this work and hope they cooperate, because the next generation is in their hands.” The room became instantly quiet.

  Chapter Seven

  Opal was sure she had walked down this same stupid corridor a hundred times. Grabbing Heather’s hand she pulled her to a stop. “Let’s sit down for a moment and see if that helps.” They slid down the wall, and she groaned. “Next shape thingies on a panel we see, we are going to push it. I’m hungry and bored. I’m so sick of my own thoughts.”

  Heather nodded next to her. “I’m so hungry I’m willing to eat whatever alien food they throw at me.” Heather squeezed her hand. “Opal, what should we do?”

  She closed her eyes and said what had been going through her mind for hours as they wandered the ships halls. “Truthfully, I don’t know. You seemed the calm one a couple of hours ago in the room with everyone.” Opal shook her head and opened her eyes. “One part of me is saying, ‘wow, aliens want to breed with you and take you to live somewhere else. How amazing.’ Another part is yelling several things like, ‘fuck, this is all a bad dream. When we wake we will be passed out on the sand.’ Or ‘how dare these aliens take me and try to breed with me?’ And then there’s my favorite, that I have finally gone insane.” She ran fingers through her tangled mess of hair.

  “My gut, Heather, is telling me we should see what they offer us. Enjoy the ride. See if the grass is greener on the other side. All I know right know is I’m going to give this a chance. We don’t have a choice. If it doesn’t work out at least I know I have met an alien race the color of the rainbow. It also helps all the men I saw were gorgeous, with bodies to die for.”

  Heather giggled. “It’s so nice to know your priorities, Opal.” They laughed at the situation together.

  “Come on. Let’s get up. I’m starving.”

  Heather looked around them. “Have you noticed that we haven’t seen anyone in the corridors the whole time we have been walking them?”

  She nodded to Heather. “Yes, it’s creepy. That’s why I say next shape button we press, ‘cos I’m starving and bored out of my mind.”

  Getting up they walked slowly, staring at every part of the walls, searching for a shape to press. Finally, they come upon a panel with a pyramid with ten different colors on it. Excited to have found something they pressed the button together.

  ****

  Danickra distracted himself at the bridge, trying not to think about Opal and the look on her face. Humans showed a lot of emotion on their faces, and Opal’s eyes as she stared at him had been heart-breaking. Not for the first time, he wished he’d brought his sisters with him.

  Looking to the monitors for the millionth time, he watched as Opal and Heather sank to the floor. They’d been wandering for hours, and he’d made sure what ever sector they were in they weren’t bothered.

  Even though Dannina and Uvinya had told him she was his heart-mate, Danickra wasn’t taking any chances that she would meet another Inteli and want him, especially with how upset she’d been when she left him earlier. Opal had been away from him for quite a while now, and his whole body felt itchy and edgy. He needed to hold her, touch her, kiss her, even just be close to her.

  Danickra didn’t know if he should feel happy about the situation he found himself in, or angry and frustrated at the universe for throwing this at him. He now couldn’t go half a day without being close to or touching his youmnda.

  His stomach rolled, and he looked at the computer screen noticing the time they’d found the food hall. He was hungry. Surely, Opal would, be too. Walking towards the exit, he caught Salamanda’s eye. “I’m going to go help my youmnda to get some food. Are you going to stay here and stare at the screen or are you coming?”

  Salamanda growled, “I will come and help feed them.”

  Together they walked out the door, and Danickra hoped that maybe once Opal was fed she wouldn’t be so upset with him.

  Chapter Eight

  The wall opened before Opal and Heather to reveal about twenty men scattered about a large room. Some sat by tables and benches eating food, while others stood talking by the huge window, and a couple stood in line by two large machines with writing Opal didn’t recognize on it.

  Slowly they walked forward, and all of the men became instantly quiet and turned to stare at them. Their every move was followed as they strolled further into the room closer to the large machine that made the beeping noises. A strong aroma hit Opal’s senses, a mixture of lasagna, mangos, and garlic bread.

  Heather nudged her and whispered, “Creepy. They’re watching our every move. I now know how an animal at a zoo feels like.”

  Opal nodded and wrapped her hands around herself. She’d never been one for attention. She had learned being a foster child to blend in and avoid it, but to have so many eyes on her now was unnerving. Her stomach growled again. “Do you think we’ll be able to eat their food?”

  “I have no idea. Maybe before they took us they grabbed some of our food.”

  Opal hoped so because right now she needed some kind of comfort. The Inteli men hadn’t moved. It was eerie. She studied the men who had food. None had any kind of utensils. They all had their colorful food stuck on their claws. “I can’t see any utensils. They all seem to be using their claws.”

  Heather shivered beside her. “Opal, that’s not the only thing. Have you seen their teeth?”

  Opal looked at a couple of the men to see their mouths wide
, ready to shovel food into them, their long sharp teeth shining. The food on their claws looked tough, and the stuff on their plate didn’t look any better. For her and Heather to eat the food they’d have to have it cut into tiny pieces, or get super sharp teeth like the Inteli to help them. Opal remembered Danickra had wickedly sharp teeth, but he’d been very gentle with them on her. Well besides biting her, although that hadn’t hurt much, and he’d soothed the pain.

  Her stomach grumbled again, and she felt the heat cover her face. “Oh, I’m starving. Did you receive any food while I was with Danickra thinking I was in some alcohol-induced dream, or still thinking our friend had organized this?”

  “Yeah, some red guy brought a huge plate of purple, orange, and yellow slop to the door, placed it on the floor and ran. However, I wasn’t going to eat it. I thought it was poisoned.”

  Opal nodded as they reached the line for the food machine. As soon as they lined up behind a green Inteli, all the men moved out of the way, and a yellow man came up to her and Heather. He smiled showing his sharp white teeth, bright purple eyes, and matching hair. Shocked that one of them was game enough to come to them Opal grabbed Heather, and they backed up, gripping each other tight.

  “Hi, Earth women. I’m Wizbe. I hear you are my brother’s youmnda.” He bent right over, and then knelt. Opal stood frozen. She noticed as all the yellow Inteli did the same, while the other color Inteli just bowed. “My life for yours. You are number one. My Queen.”

  Opal gasped as all the yellow Inteli repeated what Wizbe said. The other colors straightened and said as one, “With our lives we protect the chance of a next generation.”

  “Holy shit!” Heather mumbled. “What on Earth is going on?”

  Opal snapped her mouth shut and groaned as her stomach grumbled again. Wizbe shot up, and his eyes narrowed.