by C. R Corbin
"Well it was nice meeting you." she stated before simply walking past me. Some part of me felt angry to have been treated as just another man. I was a potential mate damnit! Didn't she know? I calmed down and reminded myself that humans were not familiar with Kanosian culture and sighed.
I was acting like a fool.
#
Cass
My first impression was.....holy hell he looked strong.
He stood nearly a foot and a half taller than I. I had to look up at him and his hand practically swallowed mine in the handshake. I find myself blushing as I glanced at his face, however, that grey skin shone in the sun and really accentuated that jawline.....and that neck gave the hint of an incredible amount of musculature lurking underneath.
Wait what was I talking about?
I try to calm myself in the initial moments and notice that he says nothing. Perhaps I was being rather awkward wasn't I? He had curved golden horns strutting out of a bed of black hair, his eyes were a brilliant shade of purple, a shade that pierced me as I locked gazes with him. His posture was straight, almost military like which I probably should have expected given that he was a warrior.
But all I could focus on was....how alluring he seemed.
There was this aura around him, an aura that drew me closer and closer. I wanted to see what was under that armor more than anything else but cursed myself for thinking like some schoolgirl. I ended my moment of weakness and slipped back on my professional guise before uttering:
"It was nice to meet you."
CHAPTER TWO
Anthriel
We set out on foot and I walk alongside her every step of the way. She seemed to be mostly focused on the mission and kept her gaze ahead as we traveled from cavern to cavern and collected samples. I could see that at some point along the way, midday perhaps, she was growing tired of that pesky sack that she was carrying with her.
"Mind if I take that off of your hands?" I asked her and she smiled at me.
"Thank you." she stated as I take the pack into my hands and sling it over my shoulder, I was grinning like a mad man.
Progress!
She seems a bit more comfortable around me for the rest of the day and I decided to try my luck. I didn't really know what humans talked about and to be honest I really should have brushed up on those human culture classes that I took during childhood but it was much too late now. I could ask her! I could use this as both courtship and a learning experience! Anthriel, for such a magnificent warrior you are also a genius!
"So do humans....eat.....food?" I asked her and cursed myself for the idiotic question. What kind of question was that? Did you think they did photosynthesis?
"I....I sure hope they do." she said with a smile and widened eyes. I only grimaced and shook my head. How stupid could I be?
"I'm really sorry human. I'm not entirely familiar with your culture so....forgive me if I misstep. Are you from Themia?" I asked her and she nodded.
"Yes born and raised...And you? Are you from Groba?' she asked me and I nodded.
"I am, a proud warrior of Kanosia born on that beautiful colony. Tell me, have you ever been out of the star system?" I asked her, hoping to brag about some of my exploits.
"No, never. I was a student all my life." she stated, grunting as she soldiered on through the rocks, I could see the rest of our party in front of us, chatting away.
"I was on many missions in the outer star systems. At one time we had to eliminate a bandit encampment of Tryptomins. I managed to stay approximately 50 with my axe! It was a glorious day for battle!" I stated and she seemed to be a bit taken aback.
"That's....nice I suppose. I'm not really one for violence." she stated and I raised an eyebrow. Really now? Back home that boast would have worked on any woman. Perhaps the nature of human women was different entirely....or perhaps I would have to keep on trying.
"I did manage to slay a wild creature during one of these expeditions. Hundreds of feet long and with a mouth with as many teeth as there are stars in the universe. I was able to avoid one of his bites narrowly and drive my ax into his a soft part that was revealed when his carapace shifted. Oh that day was glorious indeed, I think I still have some of the teeth as a memorabilia." I stated.
"What sort of species was this? Was it rare?" she asked me.
"Oh yes it was at least I think so. Unfortunately one of our parties had scared it out of its hiding spot so I was called in to deal with the mess. Quite the honor to slay such a rare catch no?" I asked and she grimaced, scowling and turning away.
"That's terrible." she remarked and I frowned. Indeed it was a shame that the creature had to die but shouldn't she be a bit more impressed?
"Aren't you impressed?" I asked her and she shook her head, stepping forward at an even brisker pace.
"Not really no." she remarked with a frown and I glanced at her with a bit of frustration. What was I doing wrong exactly?
That night we set up camp on a flat patch of land amongst all of the crags. I see her sitting next to her friend and finishing her rations while I munched on mine. I keep an eye on her and Koghu even teases me a bit. I was gazing at her when I felt his hand gripping my shoulder, his shadow looming over me while I sat across from her at the fire. He glanced at her and I looked away before I heard him whisper:
"A bit infatuated are we?" he asked me and I turned, we walked off to a quieter spot to have a chat.
"I....Yes. Alright? I think that human might be the one. She's driving me mad." I admitted, my mating instincts had been pushed into overdrive by her mere presence. She was almost certainly a special woman, at least to me.
"So what are you going to do?" he asked me, we were quite a distance away from the camp so it was safe to speak and look at her. I turned around and looked at her, frowning before turning back to him. I reach up and run my fingers through my thick black hair and frown while my thumbs run along the horns.
"I don't.....I don't know. I tried wooing her but she seemed more annoyed than anything else." I admitted and he raised an eyebrow.
"Even that beast you killed and the 50 Tryptomins? Even that and she was left unimpressed?" he asked me and I nodded.
"Afraid so." I admitted.
"Well then....Seems like you just need a bit of persistence. Keep on trying and she'll come around, i'm sure of it." he stated and I shook my head.
"I'm going to tell her. I'm going to admit my attraction to her and go from there." I stated and spun on my heel. He grabbed me from behind and pulled me back however.
"Are you sure that is wise? You just met this woman." he stated and I growled.
"She will be mine. I am confident that when I tell her then she will admit the same. Back home when mating occurs what are the chances of reciprocity?" I asked him and he pondered it for a moment, lifting a finger to his chin.
"About 99% if I remember rightly." he stated.
"Right, so just extrapolate that." I stated and walked back to the fire.
I waited until he was done with her meal and approached her. She was standing off to the side, leaning against the crags and looking out at the stars and the desert landscape. The rock formations here were beautiful, that was certain, but tonight that was not the greatest beauty that my eyes were focusing on.
"Wondrous isn't' it?" I asked her and stand beside her, she shoots me a neutral glance and nods.
"It is........we don't get many views like this at home. There aren't many deserts where I come from." she stated and I nodded.
"Same here, all grassland." I stated and took a seat on the boulder next to her, she sighs and rests her hands on her knees.
"Something wrong?" I asked her.
"Well it just....I expected to be doing something but this seems like more of a hiking trip than anything else." she stated and I bite my lip, glancing at her hands as they slide over her knees. No rings, from what I remember from human movies that was a sign that a woman wasn't taken.
>
"These are mostly feel good missions I suppose. To improve relations but it seems like I got off to the wrong start with you." I admitted and her eyes widened, a smile crept up onto her face.
"How so?" she asked.
#
Cass
And just when I thought he was some kind of boisterous brute.
When he came to sit down next to me I was expecting some more boasts and prepared myself but shockingly....there was none of that this time. He was talking like a civilized person and not some kind of brute, I was certain that he was rude beforehand, but this time.......I might actually be interested again.
"Truth be told when I came here I was hoping that....I might have found someone. Someone on this mission that is. Back home when you don't mate until your later adulthood it's frowned upon and usually you are deemed to be faulty in some way. That's why I was so keen on meeting someone and once I saw you....I don't know. I was instantly attracted" he stated and I blushed, gazing at him with my mouth wide open.
"I just wanted to inform you that I am attracted to you and would like to invite you to mate with me." he stated and my eyes widened.
Okay this was not happening.
"What? What are you talking about? Mate? You just met me today!" I said to him and he seemed to flinch.
"The attraction, that's what matters. I have this intense feeling when I see you. Where I come from once a man realizes his attraction he usually claims his mate.....is it not the same where you come from?" he asked me, a bit of hesitance apparent in his voice.
"No! It takes years before any of that happens where i'm from!" I exclaimed and he shifted his feet and hung his head.
"I....I see. I just wanted to see if you would accept my invitation to mate, I am a powerful warrior and will guard your litter with great zeal. To mate with me would be an honor." he stated and I growled, he was back to being that arrogant brute.
"The answer is no.....Now leave me alone." I said, slightly disgusted that this man would even bring up such an idea. He seemed to be frustrated and disappointed but merely nodded and turned away, smoldering as he walked off.
What a weird encounter!
I return to sitting at the rocks and thought about what he had just said to me. I felt a similar attraction when I first met him, he seems to be incredibly handsome, incredibly alluring yet when he began to boast all of that faded. Was he really that infatuated? God I don't know, he seemed to be arrogant and spoiled. Perhaps back on Kanosia they were much more open and men could claim whatever they wanted. I didn't care, I just wanted this mission to be over already. It was bad enough that I had to listen to Steph flirt but now I had this Kanosian openly asking me for casual sex? Really?
I shake my head and walk back to our tents, laying down on my mat and sighing I heard someone approaching and looked entrance flap to see Stephanie. She raised an eyebrow and I reciprocate the gesture.
"What happened?" she asked me.
"Your hunky Kasorian tried to ask for casual sex. He wanted to mate." I stated and she frowned, kneeling down next to me and shaking her head.
"Some guys just have no class. You have to understand though.....this might be the standard where they come from. I can tell he means well so maybe...give him another chance?" she asked and I shook my head.
"That creep? No way. I just want this trip to be over soon enough." I grimaced and she shrugged.
"Well....I guess he messed up his chance then. Sorry you're not having a good time." she stated and rubbed my shoulder, I shrugged.
"I was kind of expecting it at this point." I admitted to her, she smiled.
"Well don't worry, maybe the other guy is your type!" she stated and my eye twitched. There was no stopping with her.
#
The beginning of the next day was a relief for me at least. He didn't approach and kept his distance, he didn't say a word to me and neither I to him. I mostly spoke to either Stephanie or Frank and discussed the readings that I was getting from the tissue cultures that I had been extracting out of the moss around here. The life was the same as always, Estherocus, the same as it always was on this damn moon. Why even schedule these missions? Oh right, because of relations.
"Where should we head. I think we've already been at this crag." stated Steph as we stepped up to it, I shake my head. This one was definitely new.
It was a massive cave, there were these smooth rock formations that formed this massive frame for the opening of this cave. It was about 40 feet tall and 50 feet wide. I climbed onto the smooth rock and stepped inside, sheets of wet algae clung to the walls and I walked up to take some samples.
"Ironic how algae is so common. Years ago it would have been thought to be Earth exclusive but nope. Other planets have it as well." stated Frank as he made his way over to another section of the wall.
I continue to use scanner over the algae and jot down some notes before I turn my glance over to gaze at Anthriel and Koghu. I listened in intently and got hints of their conversation, I could piece together most of it.
"Well that turned out to be a waste." Anthriel stated.
"What do you mean?" asked Koghu.
"The human, she rejected me. This mission was just a waste of time, I can't believe we're actually doing something so stupid." admitted Anthriel. I had to agree with him there.
"Come now. Just because you didn't get the girl?" Koghu asked and Anthriel looks away.
"You said this mission was for relation building right? Well I don't' see any relations getting built!" Anthriel joked with a smile.
"Look at it a different way. Would you really rather be stuck at home with guard duty? Maybe you could find a monster here." Koghu stated and Anthriel sighed.
"Monster on Medama? What like a tiny worm? Or maybe a big wall of algae!" he stated and I giggled a bit.
"Just keep your head down and keep watch. We'll talk about this later and it's only for 5 more days anyways. At worst you'll have to deal with some discomfort is all." stated Koghu and Anthriel nodded.
But 5 days was not going to be nearly the amount of time in which Anthriel and I would become acquainted.
The next night continues as scheduled, I would sit on a rock and look out amongst the desert while sipping on some water and eating what remained of my ration. No one approached this night and I was grateful for the moment of silence. The next morning was pretty uneventful again, more wandering and searching, we were basically all just waiting for the end of this mission. It was getting incredibly boring simply exploring the caverns without any real aim.
Well....that was until midday of course.
I decided to venture a bit deeper into this one, it was composed of smooth rock and the cave opening was absolutely massive like yesterday. I was in the middle of my readings when I heard someone approaching, I turned to see Anthriel standing on the rocks and gazing into the shadow. I looked at him and he glanced at me but shakes his head.
"I'm not here to bother you." he started and I smiled, at least he had some degree of self-awareness.
I continue to quietly pick at the algae but kept an eye on him. He steps forward, deeper into the shadows with the many fluorescent rocks marking the path down deeper into the cave. No one really ever ventured deeper, we were planning on doing so soon enough but for the first few days it was suggested for all expeditions that we only surveyed the outer rims before venturing deeper. Perhaps it was best to build trust and a rapport first, I don't know, but he seemed intense you interested in this darkness.
"What's down there?" he asked himself, muttering, I felt something quiver and immediately after I hear an incredibly loud roar rush through the cavern. The rocks directly above me shook before they fell and I screamed before a force gripped me and pulled me away.
CHAPTER THREE
Anthriel
I could scarcely believe what had just happened.
We had been trapped inside of this cavern by falling rubble and she nearly got ca
ught under it! I managed to get her out at the last moment but still, we were left in the dark with only these fluorescing rocks to light our way. I gazed at her and stroked her back, shaking her as she coughed up the dust of the collapse.
"Sorry, sorry." she remarked.
"What happened?" I asked her.
"I don't know.....Must have collapsed." she stated.
This was impossible, these caverns usually didn't collapse in such a manner. I stroked the smooth rock that was blocking our way, the smooth rock that was covering the entire entrance. I scowled as I appraised it, this was going to be hard to break through, even with my strength. I look up at the pile of rocks and tell her to stand back before grabbing one of the boulders and attempting to move it out of the way. Didn't work.
"Well?" she asked.
"We're stuck. That's what's happening." I admitted, growling as I tried shouting to see if anyone outside had sensed us.
"Hello! Koghu! Losil!" I called out but there was no response. I pressed my ear up against the rocks and tried to listen in but still...nothing.
"I'll try my communicator." stated Cass as she reached into her pocket and pulled the device out. The only noise that emerged was a bunch of static.
"It's no use?" I asked her.
"Can't get a signal....wonder why?" she asked aloud and I frowned.
"Well in any case, we should run a supply check. How much water and food do you have on you?" I asked her and she lifted her bottle and her devices, stating "All I have is this. The rest is in the bags you're carrying."
I sifted through the pack and found a few bottles as well as some rations but nothing more. In this climate I suppose I would be able to survive with a much lower amount of water than her due to the virtue of being Kanosian and she would take the lion's share but still....there wasn't that much. Maybe a couple of days, five if I was stretching it. Perhaps if we found water deeper in the cave then we could prolong our window but…there were concerns about venturing deeper.