Diversion To Urasha (Space Era Book 1)

by Laura Hopgood

  “No!” Crystaline whispered, shaking her head, trying desperately to keep herself from falling to pieces. Her breathing was getting fast, uncontrollably fast, as her lungs fought with all their might to keep the princess from fainting. “We need to go!” Crystaline whispered.

  James turned to Crystaline, still shellshocked, and now perplexed.

  “Crystaline,” He whispered, “we can’t just...”

  “We can’t just what? Leave? Look around you, James. Do you really want to stay here? It’s...it’s death...everywhere!”

  “Crystaline’s right,” Phil stepped forwards, “we can’t stay here. It won’t do any one of us any good to stay here. We have to get away.”

  “But, Chugga-chugga, Borcees,” James protested, his voice weakened by his sorrow, “we can’t just leave them.”

  “They’re dead!” Crystaline shrieked. “They’re gone! I can’t stay here. We can’t stay here. Crystos, back me up!”

  “My sister’s right. Nightfall is approaching, and we need to find a place to rest. It can’t be here, anywhere near here. The gershers might return. We need to find cover.”

  James shook his head. This, just leaving, it didn’t feel right. Yet he knew, he knew that staying here was not an option, not really. Crystaline, Crystos and Phil! They were right. James had no choice but to acquiesce.

  “What about him?” Zach inclined his head in Morcees’ direction. The Urashan was still beside his best friend.

  “We’re leaving, Morcees!” Phil called out to the heartbroken Urashan, “c’mon, buddy, we gotta go!”

  Morcees did not move, not even a muscle.

  Zach shook his head, not liking this.

  “We can’t just leave him.”

  Although deeply pained, Crystaline still managed to look bitter.

  “He’ll catch up.” she assured Zach, turning on her heels to escape from this scene of death. Crystos followed her.

  “You guys go on ahead.”

  “Zach!” Phil protested, “you heard what Crystaline said, he’ll catch up.”

  “We’ll catch up. I never leave a man down, you know that, Phil, no matter who he is. Go, take James, get him outta here.”

  “Zach!”

  “Phil, we will catch up, just go.”

  Phil took a deep breath, as his eyes gave Zach a you really shouldn’t be doing this stare. Nevertheless, Phil knew how compassionate his loyal comrade was. He knew how capable Zach was. The human captain had no choice, no choice but to have faith in his friend and lead James away from this heartbreaking scene.

  Zach sighed, turning his head to face the lonely Urashan, before walking

  over to him.

  “Hey, man,” he said, as comfortingly as possible. “I know he was your best buddy, but we really have to go.”

  “No!” Morcees grumbled, crouched down beside his best friend.

  “Look, Morcees, he wouldn’t want this. Borcees, he wouldn’t want you to die out here. Those things will come back. You don’t wanna be in their firing line, bro.”

  Morcees turned around, his cheeks stained wet with his tears.

  “Don’t I?” He croaked. “He was my best friend. He was all I had. I’m better off dead!”

  “No you ain’t! Dude, man up! Live! That’s what your best friend would want. Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong?”

  Morcees looked into Zach’s friendly, pleading eyes. Why? Why was this human trying to help him? Was the man right? What would Borcees want? Morcees thought this over, seeing Zach’s hand reaching out to him. The teary eyed Urashan turned once again to Borcees, his best friend. His eye, the one still intact was open. Gently, Morcees closed the eye, wishing all the peace in the Universe to his best friend.

  “Goodbye, my friend.” he whispered, kissing his finger, and rubbing it on Borcees’ face. Morcees sniffed, trying to breathe the strength back into his mind and his body. The silver eyed Urashan looked at Zach, studying the kind expression of the man’s face. Then he took it, he grabbed the man’s proffered hand, letting Zach pull him back onto his feet.

  “Let’s go!” Morcees sniffled.

  ***

  After a few more hours of practically silent, reflective travel, the group had managed to find a suitable resting spot, just in time for nightfall.

  James tugged on the short purple grass which cushioned his body, studying the darkness all around him. That sound - the one of the river flowing nearby was such a grating, maddening sound. All this, Borcees’ and Chugga-chugga’s deaths, they had all been for nothing. Water was only ever a few hours away. James and Crystaline had not needed to ascend that cliff after all.

  James studied the overhanging structure of the cliff sheltering him, then he looked towards that river, and the three fruit trees which surrounded it. Food was nearby, too, fancy that. The young space warrior couldn’t help it, he couldn’t help but wish that he’d kept his big mouth shut. Why did he have to mention the water shortage? Why? So that Borcees and Chugga-chugga could die, that was clearly why.

  James shifted his gaze over to the Urashan princess, watching as she sat opposite the purple fire. Okay, so that talk in the cave, it had been necessary. James knew, he knew that he’d helped the Urashan princess. She’d said so herself. What were her words? He had “freed” Crystaline. Yep, that was a good thing, one silver lining to emerge from this dark heavy cloud at least. James watched as the princess gave Chugga-chugga’s bandage another longing squeeze, sniffing it for any remnants of scents from her creature friend. Crystaline didn’t look so free now. In fact, she looked quite the opposite, the darkest James had ever seen her.

  Then there were the others. Zach, Phil and Crystos, all three of them silent, desolate, lonely. Then there was Morcees - poor Morcees! As much as James had never liked the guy, he wouldn’t wish that on anyone, not even his worst enemy. To lose his best friend was just awful. James thought of Lottie; to lose her was just...just unthinkable.

  James thought of himself, of his own pain. To see Borcees, a man he’d seen alive, all suddenly torn up like that. It was...it was horrific, and quite literally the worst thing James had ever seen in his entire life. He’d never seen a real dead body before. That fact had only just dawned on the young space warrior. Quite stupidly, he’d not thought about the horrible sights he would inevitably witness. How pathetic! His father should have provided him with enough warning. His father! James winced, trying to keep the images of his father lying there, all torn to pieces at bay. Had the same happened to him? James shuddered, trying to summon any image into his brain, any image which would not depict his dead father. The boulder, the blood oozing out from underneath it, Chugga-chugga! James felt his heart give a little yelp. He felt a stitch unraveling, allowing the blood to gush free from his loving organ. James loved that lil fella! Literally, Chugga-chugga was awesome, a true friend! The lil guy had brought him and Crystaline together. It was only yesterday when the baby animal had followed him through the forest to comfort him. It was only yesterday when the three of them had consumed that gold fruit, playing in that river without a single care in the world. How things could change. In the single snap of a second, things could really change.

  James felt his heart rate increasing, yearning for something. What was his heart seeking? James knew, his heart was seeking Crystaline. The young space warrior, he needed to talk to her. He just had to.

  James got up onto his feet, beginning his tentative journey towards the Urashan princess, sat several metres away. With his breath nervously quivering, and his heart wildly pounding, James sat beside Crystaline, watching as she gave the green bandage another longing squeeze.

  “You okay?” He whispered, managing to swallow down a tear provoking lump in his throat.

  Crystaline sighed, her eyes fixed on the purple flame in front of her.

  “It was my fault.” she whispered.

  “No,” James croaked in return. “None if this was your fault. It was mine. I should have never...I should have never even mentio
ned the water shortages.”

  Crystaline’s eyes shifted to James. She looked confused, perplexed?

  “James, you did right to mention the water. We weren’t to know that we would find this river. I...you heard what I last said to Chugga-chugga, how I was.”

  “Crystaline, you said it yourself: you had his best interests at heart. He wouldn’t have been any better off up on that cliff with us, would he?”

  Crystaline shook her head, disagreeing with James’ reasoning.

  “Wouldn’t he? Maybe if I hadn’t have admonished him, maybe he wouldn’t have been so compelled to save me.”

  “Save you?”

  “When you saw that boulder, toppling down towards me, I didn’t move did I? I didn’t notice the boulder?”

  The young space warrior thought Crystaline’s words through. The princess was right. James remembered how immobilised Crystaline had been at that point. It was why he had ran to her, to protect her, to save her.

  “I remember.” he whispered.

  “I was too busy watching Chugga-chugga. He saved me, he intercepted an attack from a gersher. He died because of me.”

  James shook his head. Something about all this just didn’t add up.

  “Chugga-chugga wasn’t killed by a gersher, Crystaline. He was killed...he was killed by a boulder. Therefore, none of this could have possibly been your fault.”

  Crystaline just shook her head again, her eyes moving down towards the green bandage in her hands.

  James studied the princess, remembering the little rivulet of blood on her head. The cut looked dry, dry but sore. Instinctively, James wafted his hand through the air behind him, searching for the supply bags. He found them, the one with the healing supplies.

  “You really ought to get that cut looked at.” He whispered, hoping for a better response from the Urashan princess this time.

  Crystaline shifted her eyes back over to James, searching his expression for what? His motives? His intentions?

  James ignored the princess’ hesitant expression, delving his hands into the bag to soak a clean cloth with water. Once he was done, the young space warrior slowly raised the cloth towards Crystaline’s head. The princess recoiled away immediately, as if James’ mere touch would bring her pain. The young space warrior looked into Crystaline’s eyes, noting how her frightened, wary little pupils would not leave his.

  “It’s okay.” James gently whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to heal you.”

  Crystaline’s face scrunched up into a tumultuous ball of anguish, yet she moved her head slightly, closer to James, her eyes still not leaving his.

  With his arm and his hand trembling, James slowly moved his arm through the air, until eventually, the cloth made contact with Crystaline’s pale delicate skin. James felt his breath hitching, just as he noticed the princess taking an extra gasp of air into her lungs. As he worked the cloth over Crystaline’s wound, James took extra care to be as gentle as possible, massaging the princess’ broken skin instead of rubbing it. Her eyes would not leave his, and those breaths of hers, they were heavy, rapid.

  Once satisfied that Crystaline’s wound was all cleaned up, James got rid of the blood soaked cloth, swapping it for the blue healing bottle.

  “Just a smidge of this?” He delicately asked Crystaline.

  The princess nodded, still searching the young space warrior’s eyes with her own.

  James twisted off the lid, squeezing a small droplet of fluid onto his finger. It hadn’t occurred to the young space warrior that just touching this fluid with the intention to heal, might actually provide even the healer with some form of relief. Although James’ finger was not injured, he could still feel the surges of healing power working its way through his finger.

  Like he did with the cloth, James slowly raised his finger to Crystaline, until his skin met with hers. Crystaline’s skin was soft, silky, beautiful! James studied the princess’ stunning face, and all its perfect features. Her lips were red, moist, and slightly parted. Her nose was perfect, with not a crooked bend or bump in sight. Then there were those eyes, those exquisite, regal golden eyes. For some unfathomable reason, these beguiling eyes would not leave his. James had done something, something to gain their full attention. The young space warrior’s eyes left Crystaline’s for just one, final brief moment, watching with satisfaction as the princess’ wound disappeared completely. Then James’ eyes returned straight to Crystaline’s, noticing her proffering out her hand at the corner of his vision. The young space warrior wondered what the princess wanted. Did she want the healing fluid? The cleaning supplies? James’ mouth would not speak, for right now, his intent eyes were taking up all of his energy.

  “Your turn.” the princess whispered, allowing a bit of action to surge through James’ body. Without breaking his eye contact with Crystaline, James passed her the healing fluid, and the bag with the water and healing cloths.

  Crystaline shuffled closer to James, her eyes never leaving his, as her legs touched his.

  James felt it. That little impulse. That little quiver. That little charge. He watched as Crystaline began work on his own head wound. He felt how gentle she was being. How tender she was being. The pain from the wound, it was no more, and Crystaline hadn’t even applied the healing fluid yet. James watched the princess attentively, anticipating the moment when her dainty little fingers would make contact with his very own skin. Once Crystaline began to work the healing fluid into his skin, James let out a euphoric gasp. This feeling, it was indescribable, like no one else were on the planet. It was just him, him and Crystaline, with her gorgeous sparkling touch. James raised his hand, caressing Crystaline’s healing wrist with his fingers. The princess flinched, looking cautiously into James’ eyes.

  “I’m sorry.” James whispered, realising that Crystaline might have an issue with being touched tenderly by a man.

  The princess held James’ hand to her cheek, just as her eyes welled up with unshed tears, with anguish.

  “Do you think I’m a bad person?” She whispered, “for doing the things I’ve done?”

  James’ face scrunched up in pain.

  “No,” he softly assured her, “you’re a person who’s been caught up in bad things, but you’re not bad. It’s bad that’s happened to you.”

  “I don’t enjoy it. I never enjoy it. I avoid it whenever I can. I never want to do it again.”

  “You never will do it again, not with one of those vile creatures. I’ll make sure of that. It’ll be someone...someone you love next time.”

  Crystaline gave James a gentle disbelieving smile.

  “Love?” She whispered, trying to decipher the four letter word in that brain of hers.

  “Yeah…love!” James whispered in return. “I miss him, too, Crystaline. My heart bleeds over Chugga-chugga just as yours does. He was my friend, too, and all I want, all I want right now is to hold you, the one person who feels the exact same pain that I do.”

  Crystaline’s breath hitched, whilst her eyes continued to assess James’. Then her soft rouge lips parted.

  “Then do it,” She whispered, “hold me, please.”

  James freed his hand from Crystaline’s grasp, opening up his arms, inviting her in for a hug. The princess sunk right into James’ body, wrapping her arms around his abdomen, as he enveloped her fragile little body within his big, strong protective arms. James felt it, he felt that little surge of electricity, pulsing through his body in perfect sync with Crystaline’s heartbeat. As he felt the princess’ soft, delicate body in his, James felt that she was ready to crumble, that her body might just shatter into tiny little pieces at any time. James wrapped his arms even tighter around the Urashan princess, endeavouring to keep her in one piece. He would never let her break.

  Chapter 20

  It was a feeling which James hadn’t felt in a very long time. The young space warrior couldn’t even remember the last time he had woken up with someone, someone to hold. Crystaline was James’ fir
st in a long time. The Urashan princess had fallen to sleep in his arms.

  James lay there, eyes awake, face-to-face with the sleeping beauty. Crystaline looked at peace when she was asleep. Her face was not rigid, tensed up with pain or anxiety. Instead her expression was calm, completely relaxed. It was a pleasing sight.

  With a tender stroke, James traced his thumb over the princess’ pale forehead. It felt warm, soft, smooth. The fact was - everything had changed now. The aloof princess was no more. James thought of Crystaline, of how she’d been when he’d first met her. It was like the princess had a wall, one which she had built up around herself. As soon as Crystos had told James what was what, the young space warrior had tried so hard to break that wall down. Just as the task had began to look impossible, James had done it, he’d blown that wall into smithereens, liberating Crystaline. Okay, so the Urashan princess would always have her issues. Crystaline might still seem pretty desolate, pretty miserable, but cold? Hostile? No. James knew that the princess would be different now. Maybe not with the others, but with him. James knew that Crystaline trusted him. She’d confided in him, connected with him. The young space warrior had befriended the Urashan princess - that was a fact.

  James’ eyes shifted to Crystaline’s stunning figure. The way that her black suit hugged her body like that, showing off her supreme frame, it was...beautiful. That was what it was. Sexy, yes, but considering Crystaline’s history, James just felt that beautiful was a better way to describe the Urashan princess. Not only that, Crystaline was a beautiful person, inside and out. James cared for this woman, he cared about her so much. Why? The young space warrior couldn’t quite comprehend why. It was just something, something about her that made James…well, it made him not want to leave her. The young space warrior winced, remembering that his stay on this planet was only ever meant to be temporary. If things panned out as planned, then James knew that he would have to leave the Urashan princess. James couldn’t do that, not now, not when he’d come so far in freeing this troubled young woman. The young space warrior couldn’t yet work out how he would do this, but he would make sure that Crystaline left this planet with him, her brother, too.