by Luna Hunter
It’s a small consolation for being on this mission. Unfortunately, the flight will only be a small part of our assignment. Most of our time will be spent trekking through the ancient forests of Zenus, mapping the various evides deposits that are supposed to exist.
And avoiding detection from bloodthirsty space-faring insect-beasts.
All my tests come back positive, and we’re ready for launch. I signal flight control, and they give me the OK to launch.
“Hold on,” I tell Kelly. “This is going to give quite a kick.”
The human female rolls her eyes at me. “This is not my first rodeo,” she says.
“It is on a Thundercat.”
I punch in the coordinates and fire up the engines. After they’re warmed up, I hit the launch switch, and before I exhale my next breath, we’ve already left Exon Prime’s atmosphere.
The jet is launched off the planet’s surface with an indescribable roar, and I’m thrown back into my seat as if the planet itself is sitting on my chest. As we reach space the gravity generator kicks in, and once we’ve reached our top speed the engines cut out. In the vacuum of space we’ll keep moving forward until we’ve reached our destination. The g-forces pushing me back into my seat dissipate, and I finally feel like I can breathe again.
I look to my side and see Kelly’s as white as a sheet, her face completely drained of color. She looks at me with wide eyes. “Wh-what was that?”
I hand her a glass of water to calm her nerves. Being launched into space with such a kick is a feeling very few Zorans ever get used to – I didn’t think a human could handle such force. It surprises me it didn’t knock her out cold. I’ve seen it happen to men twice her size.
She gulps the drink down gratefully, and a blush of color returns to her cheeks.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she says.
“We’ll reach Zenus in approximately two days. I suggest you use the cryogenic-sleep pod.”
And give me some rest.
“That’s boring,” she says. “What will you do?”
“Monitor the readings.”
“For two whole days straight?”
“It’s my job to keep you safe,” I say. “I can’t do that while I’m asleep.”
“I’m making it your job to keep me entertained as well,” Kelly says. “I’m not dozing off for 48 straight hours.”
“You don’t have the authority.”
“Watch me,” she says with a grin as she pokes me in the chest.
I don’t see anything humorous about this exchange. Must be a human quirk. I swear, I will never understand them. I don’t understand how Vinz can enjoy Jillian’s company. Yes, Kelly and her have proven themselves to be incredibly competent, intelligent and resilient. Without them, we wouldn’t have discovered the High Command’s treason. And yes, their bodies are… inviting.
Especially Kelly’s. There’s something about the way she carries herself, the way she moves, that captures my attention. My gaze keeps drifting to her.
However, that doesn’t mean that I understand their humor, or find them pleasurable to be around. Warriors, and that’s what I am, are always in control. Of the situation, of their surroundings, and of their emotions.
There’s no place for a mate in a warrior’s life.
I respect Vinz’s decision, but that doesn’t mean I agree. A mate makes you vulnerable. Weak.
I’ll never let such a distraction into my life.
“Come on, tell me a funny story,” Kelly insists. “We’re going to spend all this time together, so you might as well loosen up, big guy.”
“No.”
She pokes me again. “Yes.”
“No,” I growl.
“Or what?” She pokes my chest again. “You’re going to eat me?”
“Perhaps.”
“I’d like to see you try,” she says with a smirk.
“Don’t tempt me.”
She puts her hand on her hip, cocking her head. “I can take you on, you know. I’m not some defenseless little girl. You don’t know where I’ve been; what I’ve learned.”
I laugh, my voice a low grumble. Now this is humor.
“You? Take me on?” I say, raising my eyebrows. “I’m twice as big, four times as strong, eight times as quick. In what world are you better than me at anything?”
“This one,” she says. “You may be a big rock of hulking muscles, but that doesn’t mean I can’t beat you. Wanna bet?”
She places her hand on the table in front of her.
“Arm-wrestle me.”
I’m having trouble wiping the smirk off my face.
“You can’t be serious,” I say. “I can rip your arm off whole.”
“Well, don’t, obviously,” Kelly says, rolling her eyes. “Just try to get my hand down on the table. If you beat me, I’ll go into cryogenic sleep. And if I win…”
“Impossible.”
“…you have to play a game with me.”
“Deal,” I say.
I have to be mindful of my strength – I want this to be over so fast I’m afraid I’ll break her arm. Nothing the on-board medical computer can’t fix, but it would be unpleasant for her. I place my elbow on the table, the large thud bouncing off the walls. I move my fingers.
“Ready,” I growl.
“Hold on, hold on.” Kelly says. She stands and stretches her arms up above her head. Instinctively, my eyes travel up her frame. The bottom of her shirt lifts up, exposing her milky white skin to me, and my heartbeat quickens. I’ve never been with a woman – it’s not part of a warrior’s life – but now that Kelly’s right in front of me, a mere arm’s length away, I have the sudden urge to pounce on top of her and make her mine.
I shake my head. Get it together.
Kelly’s hopping on her feet and swinging her arms around like she’s getting ready to break a world record.
“Alright, here we go,” she says, having warmed up every muscle in her body. She places her elbow on the table across mine, her hand interlocking with mine. My hand is twice the size of hers, so she’s barely got a good grip. I have no idea what she’s hoping to prove.
Her skin is soft and warm, and sends a jolt through my body. She doesn’t try to crush my hand like a Zoran would – her hold is gentle. Warm. Pleasant.
Her azure-colored eyes draw me in like quicksand, and I find myself drowning in them as if I were at sea. The corners of her mouth curl up into a warm smile that travels all the way up to her eyes.
“Ready?” she asks, her voice a hoarse whisper.
Before I get a chance to nod, she stands up and presses her lips firmly against mine.
I’m frozen in place. Her scent – like freshly picked jasmine – mesmerizes me, and her hot touch makes my blood rush through my veins – all the way down there. Time seems to stand still.
All too soon, the moment is over.
Kelly slams my hand down on the table, hollering triumphantly.
“I won!” she exclaims, her hands raised over her head. She does an impromptu dance, flailing her limbs around.
My shock is replaced by anger, my arousal dissipating as quickly as it came. I’ve been played like a fool. I slam my fist down on the table, the large thump stopping Kelly dead in her tracks, mid-celebration.
“Cheater,” I growl. “You don’t play fair.”
Kelly puts her hands back on her hips. “Don’t be a sore loser, Koryn,” she says. “You agreed to my rules and you lost, fair and square.”
As a tactician I can appreciate a clever ruse… but not when it’s my own feelings being toyed with. I’m not sure if I’m upset just because I lost or because I hoped the moment meant something. I shake my head again, trying to get the thoughts out.
This damn human is already making me mad, and this mission has just barely started.
“Fine,” I say. “You won. I’ll play your game. But only one!”
Kelly plops down back in her seat, placing her feet right in my lap.
/> “Does giving me a foot massage count as a game?” she asks, once again flashing me her playful, flirtatious smile.
“No.” I push her small feet away, letting them drop to the floor.
She places her hand on her chin, staring into the darkness of space as if lost in deep thought.
“I haven’t actually thought of anything to play. How about… I spy with my little eye?”
“You what?”
“It’s a game. I spy with my little eye. I name a color, and you have to guess what I saw. My mother used to play it with me all the time when we’d travel, and our mission reminds me of one of our road trips.”
“I pity your mother then.”
Kelly hits me on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s play!”
I glance around the ship’s cockpit. The Thundercat has been built with sleek, military efficiency in mind. As a result, every surface is made up out of various shades of gray. Through the front window, I can only see the darkness of space, mixed with the bright light of stars.
“I don’t see many colors here, Kelly.”
“I see something purple.”
“Is it me?”
“Very good! Fast learner, I see.”
“This is stupid,” I say, turning back to my command post. I’m still angry she kissed me out of nowhere. I fully expect her to keep bugging me, but when I glance back, she’s staring out the window. Her arms are crossed over her chest, and tears fill her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Her voice has lost all its charming charisma. I walk up to her and place my arm around her shoulder. Comforting people is not my forte, but I don’t like seeing her like this.
“What’s wrong?” I ask again.
“I miss my mom,” she says, resting her head on my shoulder.
“She’s not with us anymore?”
Kelly shakes her head, burying her face in my chest. I rub her back, giving her a moment of peace.
“Thank you,” she says after several minutes, as she’s wiping the tears from her eyes. “Sorry I got so emotional all of a sudden, this usually never happens. The game just reminded me of my mom. I wish she could see how far I’ve gotten in life.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “We can play the game if you want.”
“No, you’re right, it’s a stupid game for toddlers.”
She sits back in her chair, her arms folded over her chest, her body shivering. I grab a blanket and wrap it around her frame.
“Are your parents still alive?”
My body tenses up. “No,” I say, after a moment’s deliberation. It’s not a topic I like to discuss.
I grab two cups of kuia, a drink not unlike Earth tea, from the food dispenser and hand one to Kelly. She grabs the cup with her two hands, blowing the steam away. I sit down across from her, studying her features as she sips the hot drink.
Humans are such strange beings. They mix strength and vulnerability so easily, letting down their guard one moment, and they’re back in their saddle the next. I almost envy it. Zorans are trained to be in absolute control of their emotions at all times. I never had a chance to grieve my parents – I had to soldier on.
I clear my throat. “I spy with my little eye something… dark gray.”
Kelly looks up from her drink, a smile returning to her face. “…your… control stick?”
“No.”
“The… food dispenser?”
“Nope.”
“The… uhm… everything’s dark gray in here!”
I smirk. “Those are the rules. Fair and square.”
5
Kelly
“Please wake up and return to your seat. You will arrive at your destination shortly. Please wake up…”
I open my eyes. Or I try to. They feel welded shut. The sleep-inducing drugs are still coursing through my veins, and I’m in dire need of some caffeine to get me up and running. With a loud, prolonged moan I stumble my way out of the sleeping pod.
Cryogenic sleep is the worst.
While rubbing the sleep out of my eyes I stumble towards the food dispenser.
“Coffee please,” I mutter.
“Unknown input!” the mechanical voice responds.
“Coffee!”
“Unknown input!”
“Argh!” I hit the device with the palm of my hand. I’m in no mood for its robotical sass this morning… or afternoon… or whatever time it is.
“Unknown input!”
“Kuia,” Koryn’s low voice says from behind. The machine whirrs and serves me a hot cup of… alien liquid.
“It’s not like coffee, but it’s the closest thing this machine will make,” he says. “Did you sleep well?”
I turn and stare at the purple alien. I mutter a quick thank-you as I gulp the drink down, nearly burning my throat, and I return to the land of the living as the synapses in my brain fire again.
I realize with horror that I’m standing in front of the alien warrior wearing nothing but a long T-shirt. My hair must be a total mess, and I don’t want even want to think about my breath right now.
My cheeks burn bright with embarrassment as I slam the cup down and sprint towards the bathroom, keeping the bottom of my shirt tucked down so I don’t accidentally flash him all the goods.
I’m thankful for this ship’s shower – I feared the military vessel would have a cramped space, but it’s a veritable Valhalla in the washing room. The shower is made for a seven foot tall Zoran, so for me, it’s like being in the middle of a tropical rainstorm.
As the warm water caresses my skin I let my mind wander to the kiss we shared. I can still picture Koryn’s shocked face.
Truth be told, I feel a little guilty. I just wanted to tease the stoic warrior, get him out of that armor-plated shell of his a bit; lighten the mood.
And I admit that perhaps a small part of me just wanted to kiss his full, dark lips.
He’s an excellent kisser. Even though it lasted a mere moment, I can tell he’s skilled at more than just fighting… but I have no intention of finding that out, of course. I’m on a cleanse! No matter how much Jill laughed at me when I told her, I’m sticking with it, damn it!
However, that hurt look in his honey-colored eyes when I pulled away and slammed his hand down on the table? That crushed me. I have to make it up to him somehow.
Without giving him the idea that I’m in love with him or anything. I don’t care what Jillian says, but I’m not going to cuddle with him next to a smoldering fire while we gaze at the stars.
I just needed a taste. A quick fix. I could only stare at his chiseled jawline, his broad shoulders, or the veins running up his muscled, amethyst-colored arms for so long without… you know.
The only problem?
Now I want more.
I strap myself into my seat next to Koryn, freshly showered and actually wearing clothing this time.
“Just in time,” he says. “We’re about to arrive on Zenus, so I’ll have to use the engines to slow us down. It’ll give another kick, just like the launch did.”
“Great. Can’t wait,” I answer, securing the strap that’s keeping me in my seat a little more. Not that I have to. The landing will feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest.
“Here it goes,” Koryn says. He hits a few switches, and it starts. The entire ship rumbles and rattles as the engines fire, the intense pressure on every part of my body returning instantly. My eyes hurt – everything hurts actually. I see dark spots, and the sound seems to drift away, and I realize I’m fainting. I hold my eyes open, staying conscious by sheer will alone.
I don’t want Koryn to see me faint. He thinks humans and females are weak, and seeing as I’m both, I’m dead-set on proving him wrong.
The uncomfortable – and that’s putting it rather lightly – feeling subsides when Koryn kills the engines. An enormous emerald orb set against the black backdrop of space sits silently in front of us.
“Zenus,” Koryn says.
> “It’s gorgeous.”
Our ship nosedives down towards the surface, and the planet gets closer and closer until it’s all we can see. It’s several times the size of Earth, and mostly uncharted – because it’s in hostile space. The Ygg’s home-planet is only a galaxy away. Far enough away that it’s not an immediate concern, but close enough to make me anxious.
“Are we alone here?”
Koryn peers down at his scanners.
“Seems like it.”
“We haven’t been spotted?”
The mauve man turns to me. “No. Not unless they’re staring at us through binoculars. Which I don’t think they can. No thumbs.”
Did I just catch him making a joke?
A sea of trees rises up from the surface of the planet to greet us. It stretches out as far as the eye can see. I stare open-mouthed at the splendor, and I feel humbled. We could very well be the two first intelligent lifeforms to ever see this beauty up close.
“We need a clearing to land,” Koryn says, “but I don’t see any.”
He takes us down low, until we’re hovering above the canopy of the ancient forest. There’s no man-made structure anywhere on this rock, and I wonder if this is what Earth would’ve looked like if we humans hadn’t been around.
“There,” he says. Ahead there’s a small pocket of space, and Koryn guides the ship down into the darkness. The trees are so thick, their leaves so plentiful, that they blot out the sun.
The ship lands silently, and with a deep sigh I unstrap myself.
This is it.
One small step for man…
“Put this on,” I say as I hand Koryn a spacesuit. I have to carry it with both my hands, for the thing is damn near twice my size. I looked in the locker, but unfortunately, there’s no human-sized spacesuit on board. I could try to slip into the Zoran-sized suit, but I fear I’d look like a baby in there: totally engulfed.
Koryn laughs at me, shaking his head. “What do you mean?” he says as he hits the button that will open the outer-hatch.
“The atmosphere!” I say, panic gripping my voice. “Who knows what’s out there?!”