by Calista Skye
“But you didn't find us?”
Ava raised her eyebrows. “Oh, we found you. Well, the instruments did. Except there were two of you. And as far as we knew, we were only missing one Harper. So we decided to be careful. We saw what happened when you were abducted by that weird ship. The video recording of that is pretty chilling. And we were not about to walk into any kind of trap.”
Harper nodded. “Yeah, but those aren't the same guys! That guy you saw with me is Vrax'ton. He saved me from the abductors and then they shot his ship down, so we crashed here. After that, we've just run from the fire for days.”
“There are three of them now”, Charlotte said. “Three aliens. I mean, they're hot as shit. Clearly very attractive. But also clearly aliens.”
Ava frowned. “Three?”
Harper explained about the Trials and Kar'x and Eni'ar and Vrax'ton and their walk through the jungle, as well as the Inferno Year.
“But I'm sure we can make sense of all of it later,” she finished. “We really should take off from here as soon as possible. What's your story?”
Lily, the computer whiz, nervously stroked a hand down one thigh of her jumpsuit, as if she wanted to clean it. “You went missing, and when we checked the surveillance video, we saw that – thing, that spaceship or whatever, hypnotize you and take you aboard. I mean, it was crazy. Like a scifi movie. Except it was clearly what had happened.”
Ava nodded. “So we were stunned and we immediately went into Emergency Mode on the base. Like, no one is ever alone anywhere, we started using the coded signals, and we sent a distress signal to Earth. Stars, it was tense. Then we spotted your H in the jungle. And we decided to go and find you right away. But we're three on the base. The shuttle needed two – one pilot and one to run the scans to find the person. That meant that we had to leave one person on the base. In an Emergency, that's against regulations.”
“And none of us wanted to be the person left alone on the base and maybe have to face those alien abductors if they returned for more,” Lily said. “So we all went. Gods, if I had known about some of the animals here, I would have volunteered to stay. Some of the butterflies here look like they can bite your face off. And they try, too.”
Ava laid her hand on Lily's arm in a comforting gesture. “We did find you pretty much right away, Harper. Except you weren't alone. That meant that the other one had to be an alien. So we had to read up on our Alien Encounter procedure. And we thought it would be better to not take you and the alien in right away, just try to get you alone and see what you thought about the guy. So we hovered in stealth mode for a little while. But you stayed glued to the alien in a way that made us think you were his captive.”
Charlotte kicked at a root by her feet. “So we thought it would be better if we landed and waited and tried to get your attention in some other way without alerting the alien. For all we knew, that could be the same guy that had abducted you.”
“And here you are,” Harper concluded, glancing over at the white sheet that was the Fire. She really wanted Vrax'ton somewhere near her now and get away from here. “I'd say your plan worked. Tell me the rest later when we're safely off the planet. I'll just go and get Vrax'ton and his guys. They're totally cool. I vouch for all three.”
The others exchanged glances. Right before Harper could get angry that they seemed to be seriously considering not rescuing Vrax'ton, Ava sighed deeply.
“I'm sure we could be talked into it if they are as cool as you say. There's just one little catch. The shuttle didn't land here. It crashed. And we don't think we can repair it.”
20
- Harper -
For a moment, Harper was stunned. Then she just groaned as the hope died in her for the thousandth time in a couple of days. This was just too ridiculous for words. Every attempt at rescue backfired. Everything went to hell on this cursed planet. “You've got to be kidding me.”
Ava showed her the rear of the shuttle. “We were coming in to land, and Charlotte was just looking for a good spot. Suddenly there was a bang and the whole thing shook, and then we veered out of control and crashed down here. Thankfully we didn't crash into one of the thickest trees, but we did cut down a couple of them.”
Harper saw the track the shuttle had cut in the jungle as it came crashing down. Yep, it had cut down a little more than a couple of trees. More like fifty. “Shit. That's rough. I guess the shuttle couldn't survive that.”
“It kind of did,” Ava said and pointed. “The pressure hull is still fine. Nothing broke too badly in the crash, we think. We've repaired most of it. But the problem is that first bang. That came from the engine. See that hole?” She pointed.
Harper made out a small, jagged hole in the engine casing. It had a ring of burning around it. “Weird damage.”
“That's what we thought. Like something hit us or something exploded inside the engine. Charlotte has no idea how it could have happened. But the engine died. And we don't have spares for that kind of thing.”
Harper nodded. “The shuttle is supposed to be so tough that it doesn't need any servicing or repairs while it's deployed in space for years at a time. There are no spares at Gideo Station either.”
“Right. Too heavy. Every ounce saved counts when we set up a base like that.”
Harper slapped the smooth metal of the shuttle's hull. “You know, I want to get Vrax'ton and his guys here anyway. I don't think he can repair it, either, but I see no reason why our two groups should be apart.”
Ava shrugged. “I don't think it matters much now. Sure, bring the guys. Might as well burn together.”
Harper didn't like what she was hearing. She placed a hand on the base commander's shoulder. “Ava, it makes no sense to give up. Okay, it's not looking great right now. But I know Vrax'ton has a plan. I don't actually know what it is. Like, at all. But if you knew him, you'd be pretty sure he would come up with something. My point is that I don't think this is the end for any of us.”
Ava sniffed and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jumpsuit. “It sure feels like it. Shit, that fire ... I thought it was bad enough when it was ordinary and sort of yellow, like a bonfire. But now? It looks like a real hell. It's white, for crying out loud! And I can feel the heat from it. It will burn us to a crisp hours before it actually gets here.”
“It won't. When it gets here, we'll be long gone.” Harper was so sure in her tone that she surprised herself. She was actually pretty sure Ava was right. But it didn't make any sense to give up. Maybe something of Vrax'ton's confidence had rubbed off on her.
Ava gazed at her with red-rimmed eyes, and there was surprise in them, too. “You seem pretty sure, Harper. That alien of yours has to be some guy.”
Harper gazed over at the jungle in the direction where he was probably at this moment searching desperately for her. She longed for him. “Yeah. He has to be.”
Ava probably detected something in her voice. “Uh-huh. Is there something going on between this alien warrior and you? I mean, I've never heard Charlotte call anyone 'hot as shit'. And like Lily said, you seemed to be pretty much glued to him while you were walking through the woods.”
Even in the desperate situation, Harper felt a smile playing on her lips at the thought of Vrax'ton and the things they had done. “Maybe,” she said innocently. “Maybe there's a little something going on.”
Ava smiled, too. “All right! Well done representing Earth. Totally against the Alien Encounter Protocol, of course. You're not supposed to fall for them. I hope you at least said 'I come in peace'.”
Harper scratched her chin. She had come, all right. But not in peace, exactly. She'd been pretty loud. “Oh, totally. I made sure to be very ... approachable. And still reserved.” She flashed back to her first meeting with Vrax'ton on the Gulg ship, with her tied down with her naked ass way up. “You know, dignified.”
Ava didn't buy it for a moment. “Riiiight. Well, now I absolutely have to see him.”
Harper took a last look at the shuttle's
aft section. Apart from the little hole in the engine casing, it looked pretty much intact. “I'll go get him.”
As they walked around the shuttle, there was a thin call from the other side, where Lily and Charlotte were keeping watch. “Umm... Ava? Harper? You guys want to help us out just a little here?”
Harper ran around the front of the shuttle and froze. Charlotte and Lily were standing there, holding their ridiculous makeshift weapons in front of them. They were in a tense standoff with the three large Acerex warriors, one with an axe in his belt and obviously amused. The two others were so covered in soot they looked like they were wearing black sheets.
“It's okay,” she yelled. “Those are my friends.”
The warriors placed their short swords back in their belts and visibly relaxed. Harper went over to Vrax'ton with Ava in tow. The base commander tried to keep it cool, but it was obvious that she was impressed by the large and very alien warrior in front of her.
Harper placed a hand on his chest. In this situation, she'd have loved to play it cooler. But she just couldn't help herself. He was like a magnet to her, like a calm and safe port in the stormy ocean of crap she was in right now.
Vrax'ton embraced her gently and kissed her on the lips. “You disappeared. We thought you'd been taken by herg.”
Harper saw the residue of genuine worry in his face and squeezed his hand. “I'm sorry I did that. But I spotted the girls, and I didn't have time to tell you. Anyway, these are the girls. Ava, chief of Gideo Station. Charlotte, shuttle pilot. Lily, computer genius.”
The alien nodded briefly to them. “Friends came to rescue Harper after all.”
“They did. But don't get your hopes up. That shuttle doesn't work anymore.”
He nodded. “Vrax'ton suspected. Judging from interesting runway carved in forest of sacred Bosh. But antiquated Earth craft worked until recently, yes?”
Ava visibly pulled herself together. Harper had to hide a smile. Even she was feeling Vrax'ton immense presence and the relaxing effect he had.
“It worked fine until ten seconds before we crashed,” Ava explained. “And then the engine died. You want to take a look?”
Vrax'ton slapped the axe at his side. “Vrax'ton is man of war, not man of craft. However, suspect warrior Eni'ar owns experience with flying vessels.” He gestured to one of the soot-covered warriors, then hesitated. “At this time impossible for Vrax'ton to tell which warrior is which. But hopefully warriors themselves able to tell difference. Eni'ar!” He said the rest in his own language, and soon after, Eni'ar and Charlotte were walking to the back of the shuttle to inspect the damage.
“In eventuality impossible to repair and fix,” Vrax'ton said, “there certainly way to communicate with other Earth women and Earth men, perhaps request common welfare from nearby allied republics?”
“The shuttle has a powerful subspace comms unit,” Ava said after a moment of decoding Vrax'ton's choice of words, “and we did ask for help already. It's just that the nearest Earth presence is two light years away. It will take them weeks to get here. They're coming, though. But at this rate, it will be far too late. We're the only Earthlings in this solar system. But I just have to know: How on Earth – pardon the expression – can you speak English like this?”
Harper quickly explained the trance, and Ava expressed her astonishment that anything like that was possible. “But where are my manners. You're our guest, sort of. And while we don't have spare parts or weapons, we do have food. And you too, Harper. Come on inside the shuttle. We can't have you losing more weight now, girl. Why, you're practically a skeleton. And I'm always nervous outside. I tell you, those butterflies ...”
Harper frowned. Vrax'ton's presence absolutely had energized the base commander. Maybe even a little too much. Shit, she didn't want to feel jealous. But dammit if she didn't feel a little barb in her heart. “Okay. I guess we don't have any pressing appointments right now. The Fire will take care of itself, I'm sure.”
They went inside the shuttle, and Ava brought out emergency rations that were very light and took almost no room in the cargo compartment, but which expanded when the pack was opened and provided both ample nutrition and a feeling of fullness.
Vrax'ton tasted one marked 'Spaghetti Bolognese', and he raised his eyebrows in approval. Or in politeness, Harper reflected. Earth food was probably as alien to him as cooked herg was to her. And no one liked the emergency rations anyway.
Charlotte and Eni'ar came into the shuttle, but Ava held out her hand at the sight of the extremely dirty warrior. “Stop right there. I'm not letting you into the cockpit looking like that. There are delicate instruments in there. Charlotte, maybe show the alien the shower facilities?”
The pilot looked Eni'ar up and down. “He does look like he needs it. And I think we have some spare jumpsuits.”
She led the alien warrior to the back of the ship. “Oh, and I think he has some ideas about how to fix the engine. He seems pretty eager to see the cockpit.”
Vrax'ton frowned. “Shower? On vessel for use in space?”
“Yeah,” Harper said, chewing on a piece of emergency chicken curry. “We value cleanliness. It's just six gallons, but the water is recycled fast and efficiently in an eternity loop. You could practically shower forever in the same six gallons, and the water would always be clean.”
“Very handy,” the alien warrior said and sniffed a little carton of juice suspiciously. “Acerex value cleanliness as well. But not let women into space. That task for warrior.”
Harper kept her face neutral. “Is it, now.”
“Space work dirty. Dangerous. Undignified. Improper to us to expect women subject themselves to it. Though it seems to Vrax'ton not necessary to be dirty.” He gestured towards the showers at the back of the shuttle.
“Uh-huh. You don't think women could do as well as men?”
“Vrax'ton not think thought before brought up by Harper at this moment,” the warrior admitted. “Yet this craft, piloted by Earth-women, did crash, as is evident from context. As first example of female piloting Vrax'ton ever see, not surprised.”
Harper didn't bite. He had a glint in his eye and it was obvious that he was teasing her. She had never gotten the impression that he was a bigot. “Sounds like your world is ripe for some new thinking.”
The warrior nodded. “Perhaps. Acerex less interested in way things have been of old, more concerned how can be improved. Certainly Harper has proven competent companion. Fantastic burning rescue symbol in woods may have saved us. If present Earth-craft can be repaired and fixed.”
Charlotte and Eni'ar came forward again, and now Eni'ar was dressed in the same kind of memory-fabric jumpsuit that Harper wore. Except the fabric had to stretch much more to accommodate the young warrior's muscles. He was not quite as large as Vrax'ton, but Charlotte walking behind him clearly had trouble taking her eyes off him.
“Goodness. What a difference some water makes,” Ava said. “He'll be the cleanest thing ever to set foot in that cockpit.”
Eni'ar and Vrax'ton exchanged some brief words in their language, and then Charlotte went ahead of him into the cockpit.
“Does he think there's hope? Can he fix it?” Harper made sure to keep her voice steady. Probably their living or dying depended on the answer.
Vrax'ton was suddenly deep in thought and slowly chewed the emergency ration while staring at the opposite wall. Just when Harper thought he hadn't heard her, he took a sip of juice and gave her a brief smile. “Exist always hope. Warrior Eni'ar is smart boy. Smart man, Vrax'ton must say rather, now that Eni'ar a warrior. Will take time, whatever happens. Harper has talked of shower and word has impressed itself upon cleanly mind of Vrax'ton. Vrax'ton now wonder, would it be permissible ...”
“Sure, go ahead,” Ava said. “You can show him, Harper. And I think there's room in that cabin for two. Just about.”
Harper cuffed the base chief lightly on the shoulder and got up. “Shut up.”
Ava gave her a c
rooked smile. “Hey, showering together saves water. Well, not in this case, maybe, what with the recycling and so on. But the principle is good.”
- - -
The light door that separated the accommodation section from the rest of the shuttle closed behind them, and immediately Vrax'ton grabbed Harper's hand, turned her around and kissed her deeply.
She melted into it and put her arm around his strong neck. “I don't care if we're going to die,” she whispered. “I just know that I love you. I've never fallen so hard before. Ever.”
Vrax'ton looked deep into her eyes, and she was transfixed again. “Harper not going to die. And Vrax'ton love Harper, too.”
She just stared into his eyes for a moment. “You know, I'm onto you. If you're wrong, then no one will be around to call you out on it. Hey, you won't even be around.”
He smirked. “And when Vrax'ton proven right, Harper will know Vrax'ton's mind clean and innocent and never crossed by dirty thought like that.” He studied the shower cabin. “Harper.”
“Yes?”
He fixed his luminous blue eyes on her and bored into her soul. “Vrax'ton has to ask this. Will you marry me?”
Her jaw dropped and the world spun around her for a moment. Since she'd come to this planet, things had happened so fast that she hadn't allowed herself to think much ahead. And now with the Fire just hours away, she had less reason to plan her future than ever before. Getting married had never crossed her mind. But now that the door was suddenly open, it was like bright sunshine was streaming into her life. Marry that hunk of an alien viking, with his intense eyes, his unfathomable confidence, unreasonable survival skills and a presence that just oozed command? “Uh-huh. I mean, yes. Sure. Absolutely. Yes. I will. Agreed.”
'Agreed'? That didn't come out as elegantly as she would have wanted, but it didn't matter. Theirs would be the shortest engagement in history, but right now, she didn't care. Hell, she'd get married right now if they could find a priest.
Vrax'ton smiled one of his rare full smiles, and the warmth just radiated from him. Yes, this man had the sun in him. Somehow. “Very well. Then my life is complete.”