Reaper Inc.

by Thomas Wright

  "Princess, can you explain the physical act of touching lips and mouths together. Kissing is what I believe I heard it called. Is it pleasant, desirable, part of a mating ritual? I am curious and I may want to try it again."

  "Do you have someone in mind, Your Highness?"

  "I believe you know the answer to that. I saw it in his memories so when he tried, it was only a momentary surprise but he was not acting like the images I saw in his mind. They were kind and loving and his mates wanted to kiss equally as much as he did."

  "Do you believe you are compatible with a human male? The kissing usually leads to sex, mating, whatever you wish to call it."

  "I believe we would be able to consummate the act but I am unsure if offspring would be viable. Tests would have to be completed."

  "Have you spoken to him about any of this, did you bring it up last night?"

  "No I have not, not yet."

  "What if he rejects you? Humans don’t always mate to produce offspring. They are particular about their partners and will not mate with another just to do it."

  "I saw that in his mind as well. He could have had you, and the captain with the beautiful red hair, and the blond pirate, his friend Emily, but he did not. His thoughts stayed with the black-haired Andrea and he still visits her in his mind and dreams."

  "I am glad then that you saw all that now that you tell me some of your thoughts."

  "I will approach him tonight at the ball. I have a special ensemble to wear just for the occasion. I will kiss him here and here, she pointed to the neck and cheek. I believe he will have a hard time keeping his hands off of me. Do you not agree, young princess?"

  "You are beautiful Queen Tazleaha but Benjamin is his own man, as humans say. He may want you and like the way you feel in his arms and still walk away if he feels the price is too high. He values his freedom to help others in need so if you show him he has that and you, you may have a chance."

  "Yes, I see that and how will you feel, princess, if one day he becomes my betrothed."

  "I have been hard on him and I feel it has hurt our friendship but we love each other as family. I would love to see him truly happy and to count you as a friend, Queen Tazleaha."

  "We are all assembled because my empire is a threat to all of your empires. If we go to war, princess, how will you call me friend?"

  E'Aria said, "Let us look for peaceful ways to avoid war first."

  "Benjamin has some ideas on how to help feed my army. They are not a fast solution but they are a good solution over time."

  "Let us talk to him later together about them. I will bring them up when the meetings start." Queen Tazleaha said, "Let us return to the palace, young princess, and prepare for our evening."

  Chapter 20

  Ben walked hurriedly, thinking and mumbling to himself. "They assign me a damn baby sitter. I haven’t done anything to anyone for this whole damn trip unless you count last night." Some around him stared at him.

  "Excuse me, were you speaking to me?" Colonel Tawniz Dakkon asked, just arriving and matching Ben's stride.

  "No, just thinking."

  "I see. Do you have a servant that takes care of your offspring?"

  "What! No, I have no offspring. What are you talking about?"

  "So why are you cursing the servant that watches over your offspring?"

  "What are you talking about? I have no offspring."

  "I heard you say damn baby sitter, my translator bots have determined it to mean cursing the one who takes care of your offspring."

  "Just forget it, colonel, do not translate anything I say that is not directly spoken to you. With the mood I am in, there is no telling what kind of shit will come out of my mouth."

  "I am vaguely aware of human anatomy and I do not believe that shit can come out of your mouth."

  "Colonel, just don’t listen to me, at all, or analyze what I say, ok? I am a bad example for you to be learning from. Your impression of the human race will be so fucked up its not even funny. Your new translators will take some getting used to."

  "I am sorry, Benjamin Jamison, if I have made you angry."

  "I just wanted to be alone colonel. It’s not your fault they assigned you to watch over me. There are a lot of shops along this street. Do you want to shop for something for yourself? You might as well get something out of this stupid duty."

  "No, I have no immediate needs. The military takes care of everything I need."

  Ben saw a shop with bright colored clothing displayed. He didn’t know if it was for male or female or both, it didn’t matter for what he had in mind. He made his way through the crowd and inside.

  "May I help you?" the voice was feminine and soft. The speaker was dressed in the same bright-colored clothing that was sold in the store.

  "My friend, the colonel, spends her days wearing only military clothing. Could you find her something similar to what you are wearing?" Ben asked the clerk.

  Colonel Dakkon said, "That will not be necessary. I told you I have all that I need."

  Ben asked, "Colonel, do you have a mate?"

  "No, but that has no bearing. . ."

  Ben interrupted her. He smiled and winked at the clerk then said, "You see why she needs our help. Put together something she can wear for special occasions. You can send the bill to the Emperors Palace to the attention of Benjamin Jamison."

  The clerk looked at the colonel, hoping this strange being was not lying to her.

  "What he says is true but I do not want anything."

  Now the clerk was unknowingly totally committed to Ben's plan. She took the colonel by the arm. "Come, it will not hurt to look. You have a beautiful skin tone and I have just the colors to make the males swarm for your affection."

  The colonel stopped and turned to Ben. She looked as if deciding what to say but Ben didn’t wait on her.

  "Colonel, seventy five percent of the crew of my ship is female. Before leaving to travel here, I shared a home with six females and one male. Shopping and buying yourself things is a favorite past time of human females. I would assume this shop exists because it is the same here on Allond. I believe it is programmed in the female DNA of every species." Ben was just talking to distract them.

  "I do not believe you can say such a thing. There is no proof. . ."

  "Colonel, I told you to stop listening to me. That is what we call a joke or to jest or whatever the hell. Really, you’re taking all the fun out of this. I have other people to buy for, I have not been myself lately and I need to try and make up for my behavior. That is why I wanted to go out today and alone so I could buy gifts and surprise them." Ben began to look through some scarves or maybe they were veils; he didn’t know. He walked around looking and touching things making sure the Colonel could see him. He grabbed six silky dress looking things. Four of about the same size and two smaller and laid them on a table. The clerk saw and nodded.

  He didn’t see a counter or register to take money so he wasn’t sure what he should do. He turned, looking back towards the scarf display and the front of the store. Someone stood looking at the glass either using it like a mirror or looking in the store. Two very white human hands began to adjust the hood, pulling it back slightly.

  Ben was frozen in time. He didn’t know if he was seeing things, going crazy, losing his mind. She stood still for a second, pushing her black hair behind her ear. The blue eyes couldn’t belong to anyone but her. It can’t be though. No one could have survived with no helmet or a direct impact from something moving thousands of miles per minute. She put the hood back in place and walked on. He looked around and saw that the colonel was engrossed in something the clerk was holding. He walked easily around like he was still looking for things. One final look at the colonel and he was out the door.

  Looking in the direction she walked in, he moved, hurriedly scanning both sides of the street. He saw her on the opposite side looking in the glass of another shop about fifty yards away. She turned and walked on, turning a corner and dis
appearing from site. Ben picked up his pace hoping he wouldn’t lose her.

  The colonel was enjoying herself. She picked out some comfortable garments she could relax in when not on duty. She looked for Ben to ask him what he thought of her choices and didn’t immediately see him. A quick couple of steps and she still didn’t see or hear him.

  "I have to go, send all of the things he picked out and mine as well to the palace. I think I am about to earn them." The colonel went out the door and looked in the correct direction, had she not, she would have missed him turning the corner. She moved through the crowd at a run. "Why would he take the back entry way passage? There is nothing to see there."

  Two males began to argue and push each other in front of her, blocking her way. She stopped for a second then pushed one of them out of her way. Four long strides and she rounded the corner. She could see Ben about fifty paces away confronting a hooded figure and surrounded by six beings of different races. Her sudden appearance must have been a sign to speed up whatever was happening.

  Ben saw the colonel coming towards them. She covered the distance quickly.

  "Colonel, run, this is not your fight."

  "I can’t let anything happen. . ." She never finished. As she hit the pavement hard, she moaned and tried to stand when she was stunned again. Ben charged the alien who had stunned the colonel then he was hit and went down. He wasn’t out but he lay there and waited. He heard the stunners get holstered and the group began picking up the colonel and him. He waited till they started moving with him then he kicked out at whoever was close. The two holding him up by his arms let go and he elbowed one of them when a stunner hit him again. Before he blacked out, he saw who had done it and wouldn’t forget her.

  They moved him none to gently this time into the back of a building, the colonel right along with him. The whole group rode down into an underground passageway wider than the main street on a elevator. It was used to bring in goods and keep large delivery traffic off the public streets. Loaded in an enclosed cargo hauler, no one ever saw them leave. It had already been cleared by an inspector of customs to depart and made its way to the coordinates to meet a shuttle and then left to drift. The inspector was a few coins richer for looking the other way.

  ****

  The shop clerk walked out on the street and looked both ways. Not seeing her customers, she went back inside. She had kept everything together thinking they would be back soon. It would be time to close soon so she packaged it all up and called a delivery service. Addressing it and inserting the bill inside, she smiled and wrote a ‘thank you for your patronage’ note. Hers was the most expensive clothing store on the street and his purchase was the best commission she had earned in a while. She hoped to gain some additional business from the palace when they saw the fine garments he had purchased and his friends were wearing.

  ****

  E'Aria heard the knock on the door. A servant with another in tow carrying a large box stood at the door.

  "Sorry to disturb you, your highness, but a delivery has come for Benjamin Jamison and he isn’t in his room. In fact, he has not returned since leaving yesterday."

  "Has anyone talked to Colonel Dakkon?"

  "No, your highness. She has not checked in."

  "I will sign for the package. Would you contact the Colonel and report back to me." She motioned for the package to be put down and pressed her hand against the scanner. Both bowed, the palace servant closed the door on his way out.

  E'Aria wondered what kind of weapon he had bought and pushed on the box with her foot. It was very light which made her very curious. She cut the invoice off the package and saw it was from a clothing store, one that catered to females. She read the items listed then the note at the bottom.

  The door to the adjoining room opened and Natalia walked in. "What did you get?"

  "Don't know that I got anything. Your father bought some things and isn’t here to sign for them."

  "What is it some new weapons?"

  E'Aria laughed and said, "No its clothing, female clothing."

  "Do you think he bought me something? I wanna look, let’s open it."

  "Natalia, these could be a surprise for you, he will not be happy if it is ruined."

  "Well I know about it," Natalia pouted.

  "But you have not seen anything but a box." There was a knock on the door. Natalia thought it might be Ben and ran to open it, a giant smile on her face. An energetic pull on the giant door and she froze.

  "Hello, Natalia," the deep voice rumbled. "I need to talk to the princess." General Raza saw E'Aria and could read her expression. She knew his visit was a bad omen.

  ****

  Ben woke up to find the colonel sitting across the room on the floor. He was on something soft. He groaned and sat up to fast. His head began to pound.

  Ben asked, "Where are we?" He laid his head back down.

  "On a shuttle to where I don’t know."

  "I'm sorry, colonel."

  "For what? Did you ask to be taken by force from our planet?"

  "No, of course not, but I did do something stupid that caused you to be abducted as well."

  "When my brothers find out, there will not be a place for these abductors to hide that my family will not follow."

  "How will they find us, colonel?"

  "Right now, I am unsure."

  "Shit."

  She said, "Yes, I thought you would say that."

  "Why did you leave the store to confront the being in the hooded cloak?"

  "Colonel, you will think I am mentally ill if I tell you."

  "You mean more than I already do."

  "Yes, even more."

  "It’s a long story, colonel, that starts about six earth months ago about the time I met your brothers. You know they are going to kill me right after they kill these idiots."

  "It’s possible but doubtful. They seem to like you, which makes me think they are mentally ill also. So tell me your story Benjamin and I will decide for myself."

  Ben launched into his story all the way back to his recruitment and meeting Andrea. The colonel sat quietly, not saying anything at first until he got to the Hyson rescue, she made some small noises. It was clear she was fascinated. She had heard about his fight with the Allith onboard her brother’s battle cruiser and the gifted sword. He continued on to his rescue of Andrea and the team from the Cjittan.

  "They just left after you talked to them? I cannot believe that. They are a horde and would take no notice of just one human."

  "They did and before they left, I fed the officers to them who caused the deaths of many good sailors and hurt my Andrea."

  "That was a strong statement to the Cjittan and the galaxy."

  "Colonel, are you sure you didn’t already know my story? Your brothers, the queen have both been talking about it."

  Ben continued on, not wanting to get into what it could all mean, he didn’t give a shit, bastards needed killing. The colonel listened as he continued explaining about the business and his plans to grow it and build a bigger home for everyone. She grew excited again as they escaped Anubis along with the Warhammer. He slowed his narrative to a stop and rubbed his eyes. His story was full circle back at Hyson. He exhaled and started with the beacons and the discussion. She squirmed when he began talking about the Cjittan still being on Hyson and how the starving spider had tried to kill him.

  He stopped and exhaled heavily again. He began again with the giant spider and shooting the Allith so the Cjittan could catch them. He picked up with them leaving, destroying the beacons and entering space and the attack. Tears streamed down his face and he continued as best he could. He told her the stupid Allith fired an old torpedo and didn’t arm it so when it hit, it just ripped the front of the shuttle off and how he had been in the process of getting Andrea's helmet.

  "So you are saying the being you chased looks exactly like your dead Andrea. I should tell you the Princess Aok gave me a nanite translator shot earlier today."

&n
bsp; "Yes, that is exactly what I am saying." They both heard the door click and she walked in right on cue, still wearing the cloak but the hood was down. Ben couldn’t take his eyes off her face or he would have seen the stunner in her hand.

  "You bitch! Who are you?" He leapt off the bunk and tried to get his hands on her. She didn’t even blink when he landed at her feet out cold. She turned and pointed the stunner at the colonel who didn’t move a muscle. She did stare at the face that was staring at her. Ben was right, from his description, his mate was standing right in front of her, but then she wasn’t. The colonel could see something wasn’t right.

  She stepped out of the door and let one of the male aliens in with two plates of food. He saw Ben on the floor and handed the colonel hers and walked out with the other. No need to waste it. She backed out the door, pulling it closed and locking it. The colonel ate her food and lay on the bunk after checking to see that Ben was breathing. Tough lesson that. Maybe when he wakes up, he will come to the right conclusion. No need for nanites if he stays stunned the whole time.

  Four hours later, the moaning started. Ben hurt all over. There was a puddle of drool on the floor; lying for four hours with your mouth hanging open on any floor would seem to invite trouble.

  The colonel said, "It seems your mate does not share your feelings any longer."

  "Colonel, it has to be her, I cannot believe I would find her identical twin like this, maybe she has lost her memories."

  "No, Ben those odds are too great. I have a theory that would make more sense and is more probable. She has been cloned. I would say though she has other genetic material spliced into her, they usually try to improve or create something new."

  "So, she won’t know me no matter what I say or do?"

  "No and you may not want to try and kindle a romance, remember she only looks like your former mate. She is probably a warrior or assassin now with none of your Andrea's qualities."

  Ben rolled onto his back and began stretching the kinks out of his back and arms. He stood and walked around the room. Colonel Dakkon had not eaten all of her food so Ben asked if he could finish it. She did drink all of what they brought her. One of the side effects of being stunned is thirst. Ben had been stunned twice and had nothing to drink. He looked around the room and found a built in com device. He couldn’t read it so he did what Ben does and started pushing buttons and asking for some water. Finally a voice yelled through the com at him.