Romancing the Stars: 8 Short Stories of Galactic Romance and Adventure

by Sabine Priestley

  “This ruby is safe. I’m sure the monkeys understand,” she said, slipping the jewel into her belt pouch.

  “Truly amazing,” he remarked. “Your empathic talent led us here and kept me safe. I’ll double your bonus for successful completion of the job.”

  Glancing at his severe face, Rosa smiled her thanks. The warm expression in his green eyes made her flush with pleasure.

  Clasping his warm hands around hers, he stuttered, “What… What are your plans when you return home, Rosa? Will you visit your family for the festival of lights?”

  Unsure how to interpret his uncharacteristic embarrassment, she compressed her lips and muttered, “I have no family to visit. My parents are dead.”

  His eyes glowed and his words burst out, “Will you be my guest for the festival? You would be doing me a great favor. A Psi Master soon outlives his nearest relatives and friends.”

  “Oh yes, Varan, I’d love to spend the festival with you!” Rosa blurted quickly, in case he would retract his offer. Her eyes widened as she sensed his mental shield loosening. The Psi Master’s emotions coiled into her consciousness. She became aware of the warmth of his passion restrained by keen intelligence. Rosa tilted up her head, and blasted him with her pent-up desires.

  He moaned in delight. His arms slipped around her back, and she wrapped her hands around his neck. Power surged sweetly through her nerves as their lips met in a long kiss. Happiness sang through her, and was echoed in his mind.

  Later, he murmured, “We’ll return to the flitter and fly to my mansion to celebrate the festival. Afterwards, when I’ve devised better tools, we can return to examine these ruins.”

  A smile brightened Rosa’s face at his words. She would be his companion, even after the festival. “Can we talk to the monkeys?”

  “Of course, intelligent aliens are well worth studying.” He slipped his arms around her waist. They rose into the air and soared over the trees toward the flitter. Behind them, purple lights flared into the sky from the crystals mounted on top of the pillar.

  Embraced in his strong arms, Rosa gave thanks for the bountiful gifts of Jangalore. She had received the ruby crystal from the alien monkeys and discovered the ancient site. After three years of struggle, finally her debts would be paid off. Most of all, she was grateful for Varan’s wonderful kiss and his invitation to the festival with hints of a future together. She would celebrate the festival of lights with Psi Master Varan in the joyous start of the New Year and a new life.

  About Aurora Springer

  Aurora Springer is a crazy scientist by day and moonlights as a writer of spacy adventures by night. Her stories are character-driven romances set in weird worlds and sprinkled with humor. She was born in the UK and lives in Atlanta with her husband, a dog and two cats to lounge on the keyboard. Her hobbies, besides reading and writing, include outdoor activities like gardening, watching wildlife, hiking and canoeing.

  To find more books by Aurora, click here:

  | Aurora Springer | Amazon |

  Cyborg Security

  by Melisse Aires

  About Cyborg Security

  Heat Level: Medium

  Widow Aerria’s genius young daughter rescues an abused little boy on a planet Aerria’s team is studying. Strict laws prevent contact between the observers on the spaceship and the inhabitants of the non-spacefaring planet. Aerria could face jail time. Not wanting to return the child to an abusive environment, she turns to an old friend, Domingo, a recovered cyborg and a security officer on the spaceship. They make a plan to obtain forged identity forms for the child, which involves a trip to the infamous planet Jiange.

  Even with all the commotion, Aerria can’t forget a kiss they shared.

  Chapter 1

  Aboard the interstellar research vessel Fair Discovery situated in observational orbit around planet Pilori,Star: Beta Canum Venaticorum

  Four hours—that was all Aerria needed to finish a huge project her team had been working on for many months. Unfortunately she had no tutor today for her daughter.

  “Janna, I must get this finished, so I need you to stay in your room until lunch. I know it is a long time, but I got you two new vids and a new box full of playclay and a set of toy villagers to paint to make a model for your Interstellar Relations class. And I do expect you to do your homework. It is all review. Elodi will be here if you need anything.”

  Elodi, the disc-robot, flew into Janna’s small, colorful room.

  “Elodi will serve you a snack at ten.”

  Janna sighed. “All right, Mom. But when you are done, can we swim? With toys?”

  Aerria smiled. “Of course we can. As long as you want.” Aerria kissed her small daughter and closed herself in her office.

  Janna couldn’t believe her luck! The flight line was a nice straight one— Fair Discovery was in the perfect position for her plans! Janna turned to Elodi. “Override the daily instructions. Code: Janna the Boss.”

  “Override accepted.”

  “Your new orders are to assure Aerria that all is well, Janna is playing nicely with her playclay, Janna is watching vids from Chen Chen Children's Network. You will not tell her I have left for a lower level of the pod.”

  “Yes, Janna the Boss.”

  “Now, go get me a generous snack for two, packed for a picnic.”

  “Yes, Janna the boss.” The disc flew off to the galley.

  Olvar’s stomach growled as he weeded the onions. He still had four more rows to weed, so it would be a long time until he finished and he could eat. He sighed and pulled another weed, sticking it in his bucket.

  “Olvar!”

  He jumped up and looked at Mother Gabel. “I’m taking Franny and Dalla to town. You get those onions weeded.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  He knew better than to ask for food. He had been punished last night, so no food until his chores were done. He turned and pulled up another weed.

  Maybe she’d left the door unlocked. He could sneak some food. Something plain that no one would miss.

  He checked but the door was locked. The side window was open. There was bread in the cold cellar. He climbed in, even though squeezing through it made his back and shoulders ache from the whipping he got last night. He pulled out a frozen loaf of bread and rearranged the cold cellar so nothing looked to be missing.

  Olvar ate half the loaf as soon as it was thawed enough to pull apart. He hid the rest in the old dog house, next to his treasure box. Then he drank water from the well. It was the fullest his stomach had felt in a long time.

  Olvar weeded another row when he heard a sound, a humming, from up above him. He couldn’t see anything though.

  Then a rush of air, and a triangle shaped vessel popped into sight, shiny gold and no bigger than his bedroom in the basement.

  It landed in the alfalfa field, a door popped open and a girl about his age dressed in a shiny gold space suit hopped out.

  “Hi, boy from Pilori. My name is Janna. I come in peace and stuff.”

  “I’m Olvar. But where did you come from?” Her hair was all one color, how odd. It was fixed into two tails that hung down past her shoulders and was a pale yellow color.

  She waved a little hand toward the sky. “Fair Discovery Observation ship. It is up by your moon. I came to see if you wanted to come with me.”

  “Why would you want me to go with you?”

  “I saw that big woman beat you. That is mean! My mom would never beat you.”

  Olvar frowned. “I never saw a ship that could fly.”

  “I know. Your world doesn’t have them yet.” Janna moved close to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “You could come and stay with me. We could play together. I’ve been watching, no one ever plays with you. Plus I get so bored. There isn’t a school for kids my age on the ship. Mom just barely got permission to bring me,” Janna said. “How old are you? I’m eight and three months.”

  “I just turned eight.”

  She frowned at him. “Do y
ou want to come? Because I don’t think I can bring you back here.”

  Olvar wondered if he had too much sun on his head.

  “I wouldn’t have to come back to the Gabel’s?”

  “These people?” Janna waved a hand at the cottage. “No. They are awful. I saw that lady whack you with a tree branch yesterday. And she makes you work all the time. That’s why I decided I had to come get you.”

  Olvar decided right then. Anything was better than the Gabel’s. “I have a box of stuff. I’ll go get it.”

  He grabbed his box, the sack of bread and hurried to the ship.

  “Here, put this gold suit on. It goes on naked, but I won’t look. It keeps you warm and stuff.” Janna handed him a thin soft suit.

  He ducked behind a bush and put it on. It was soft. Then he followed Janna into the ship and put his belongings in a little cupboard she opened. Janna sat on a couch so he sat next to her and a harness came around and hooked over their chests.

  “Ready?”

  “I guess so. Never been in a flying ship before.”

  “Here’s how you hook your suit. See? This goes in those holes.” Olvar hooked up his gold suit with tubes from the side of the couch.

  “Don’t be scared of the helmet. It keeps you warm and breathing right and there’s a medicine to keep your tummy calm.”

  Olvar did everything she said, then watched as she tapped some buttons next to her seat. The ship began humming.

  “This part will make us sleepy but we’ll wake up soon and play and have a snack. And then we’ll be at my pod and I’ll show you my room, and Mom will take us swimming.”

  It sounded wonderful. “Sounds like fun.”

  Olvar fell asleep. When he woke he was floating in his harness.

  “Hi,” said Janna. “Want some snacks?” They ate bite sized sandwiches, cheese balls and grapes.

  “Do you want to do betrothal bracelets with me?” Janna asked.

  “What are those?”

  “They mean we will get married when we grow up.”

  Olvar shrugged. “What if we don’t like each other when we’re grown up?”

  “We don’t have to.”

  “All right.”

  The bracelets were shiny, a dark purple that was almost black. Janna put one on his left wrist and he put one on her. “Now say what I say.

  “I, Janna vo Cashal of the observation ship Fair Discovery do betroth myself to Olvar — What’s your full name?

  “Olvar Alin Fullar.”

  “To Olvar Alin Fullar of Pilori, better known as the fourth planet of Beta Canum Venaticorum.”

  “What is the beta thing?” Olvar asked.

  “What we call your star. Now where was I?”

  “Of my own free will I so choose.”

  With a little help from Janna, Olvar said his vows. The bracelets flashed with purple light.

  “Yeah!” Janna squealed. “That means it worked.”

  To celebrate, they unharnessed and spent a long time floating and bouncing around the tiny ship. Olvar giggled, even when he hit a sore spot on his back, then he laughed and added, “Owiee hee hee.”

  When a light flashed, Janna said it was time to harness so they went back to the couch. “This part is fun to watch.” She turned on a large viewer.

  The space ship they were going toward was so huge only a part of it showed on the screen. “Don’t you have to steer it?” He yelped.

  “No, it is all in the computer.”

  A door opened on the huge ship and their little ship went down a long hallway, then up and around several turns and into a small room. There was a clunking sound.

  “Those are the anchors. Now we wait until the door opens.”

  The door opened and the harness came off. Olvar grabbed his box and bag of bread. They took turns dressing behind the ship. He followed Janna to a little closet that moved. A door opened into a room with a couch and table and chairs. “This is the family room. Come on, I’ll show you my room.”

  In her room Janna showed him her toys.

  Elodi brought them cookies. They ate and then played with the playclay. Janna was pleased the morning had gone so well, and once Mom saw the bracelets and the observation vids she’d made of Olvar, she would let him stay.

  Olvar was cute, too. His hair was striped teal and white and his eyes were bright blue green. He liked the playclay and they built a big village together.

  Aerria rushed into Janna’s room. “Sorry I’m so late. Ready to go swimming—who is this?” Her heart leaped in her chest. Unmistakable teal and cream striped hair. A Piloran child.

  “Mom, meet my new betrothed! His name is Olvar and he is from Pilori!” Janna grabbed his arm and showed their bracelets.

  “Oh.” Aerria sat down on the bed. “How?”

  “I took the Doodle Bug. It was safe, really. The navigation was perfect, I just ran the program. I know it was wrong, but Mom, she hit him a lot. With a stick! Then they made him stay outside. So I went and got him.”

  “All right. So.” Think! She couldn’t fall apart now. “The transport commissioner will contact me for an unauthorized flitter flight. But they probably won’t know you went all the way to Pilori. That’s good.”

  “They won’t. I got permission. Look.” Janna pulled up a form on her computer.

  “You told them it was a routine maintenance flight?”

  “Yes. Well, I used Blevin’s account. I know his password.”

  “Right.” Aerria took a deep breath. Janna knew her brother’s password. “Then...you have been injured, Olvar? Let me see?”

  Janna smiled. “You can trust Mom. She will help you feel better.”

  He turned around and Aerria pulled up his shirt.

  “Oh, baby, why would someone do this?”

  “I was bad,” he whispered.

  “How could you be bad?”

  “I fell asleep in the barn when I was supposed to be working.”

  “Little one, she should not have beaten you for any reason. No one will hurt you here, and if you are tired you can sleep until you wake up.” Aerria took a deep breath. “Elodi?”

  The disc flew into the room. “Elodi, this is Olvar. He will be staying with us. He is not to leave our pod and neither is Janna unless they are accompanied by me. Shut down the lower level and flitter access.”

  “Recorded.”

  “Let me see those betrothal bracelets,” Aerria said. They held the bracelets out to her.

  “Did I do it right, Mom?”

  “Yes, Janna, you have made a betrothal contract.” Aerria stifled a groan. Her late husband Travis’ family had been traditional, so both the children had been betrothed as old customs decreed. Blevin planned to contest his at age eighteen, and Janna’s contract ended recently with the death of the other child she’d been betrothed to at birth.

  Not important right now. A kidnapped child from an observation world, that is important. Aerria got a grip on her chaotic thoughts.

  Janna grinned at Olvar, who grinned back. “Can we go swimming?”

  Aerria needed time to think. “Well, I really should punish you for taking the flitter, but I need to think about that. And the warm water would be good for Olvar’s back.”

  “I don’t know how to swim,” Olvar said.

  “Oh, that’s all right. Mom will make us wear floater suits anyway, so we don’t sink.”

  “Yes, children must wear floaters and an adult must be present.”

  I’m in so much trouble. I should have secured the flitter like I do the swimming pool. But it never occurred to me... She felt numb with shock. Her baby, flying the flitter through the atmosphere, kidnapping a boy… I could go to prison for this!

  The rules for the Observation ship were strict. No contact, just observation and study of language and culture, preparing for the time the observed planet entered space. Aerria squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and took a shaky breath. Then she handed the children one-piece floater suits and sent them to change.


  Olvar’s shoulders were purple with red scabs. He was as tall as Janna but so thin! His little ribs were outlined by the suit, and his thighs and knees looked fragile compared to Janna’s sturdy limbs.

  “Let me spread this lotion over your back. It will take away some of the bruising and pain. Then we’ll do it again at bedtime.” Olvar agreed and she spread a healing accelerator on his bruised skin.

  “It feels warm.”

  “Does that feel better?”

  Olvar raised his arms and twisted his torso. “It feels way better. Thanks, mistress,” he said, peeping shyly at her from his mass of striped hair.

  “Call me Aunt Aerria. You tell me if anything hurts, or if you are tired or hungry. You won’t get in trouble. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Come on!” Janna yelled.

  The pool was small, but adequate for recreation and exercise. With Blevin and Janna, Aerria had felt it necessary to have one in her home, rather than traipsing to the Fair Discovery gym, and they all used it daily. In the pool, she held onto Olvar until she was sure he was comfortable to float around with Janna. Elodi the flying robot was there, too, watching them play, just in a case. They played for a long time with balls.

  Aerria tried to make a plan while the children played, but couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t involve an arrest.

  Domingo. She needed to talk to him. He’d been her solid rock in the past, when Travis died. That horrible time. Travis and his squad had been captured by a Gorvas ship, presumed dead or transformed into cyborgs.

  Such great joy at first, learning her husband was alive. He and a dozen cyborgs had escaped the cyborg processing plant on Arden, stolen a ship. Travis and Domingo got all of them home to Mercia.

  But just a few weeks later, Travis was dead, killed by a malfunctioning implant meant to slow him down for retrieval if he escaped. Domingo and the others all had the implant surgically removed. And she’d been glad they survived, but losing Travis after getting him back... Domingo had been there for her and the children. Tall, strong, a tower of strength and comfort.