by Lisa Lace
“How did that animal get in here?” I chased the bird, pushing it away with a light wave of my hand. “This isn’t an aviary. Shoo.”
As the twittering bird flew out the exit, I took the computer from Natya’s hands. “Let’s get down to business.”
Chapter Seven
CHRISTINE
Beyond the viewport lay an endless expanse of twinkling stars and mesmerizing swirls of pastel light set against a vibrant, coal-black backdrop. I saw colorful, coin-sized planets in the distance. Occasionally a ship zoomed past me, the bright flares of propulsion engines looking like the tails of shooting stars.
There was always something new to see.
I dipped the tender soles of my feet into a foot bath, moaning as I relaxed against the back of my chair. The powerful spray of the warm, bubbling water softened the calluses which had formed from walking nearly thirteen miles across the Urwanian ground. Every muscle in my body was sore, even my arms. They ached from carrying around boxes of food and supplies. I had spent the majority of my day depositing them at the camps of newly homeless Urwanians.
The moisturizing foot bath, along with a side of hot tea and sweet pastries, was the perfect way to unwind after a long day.
I raised a cup to my lips, inhaling the floral bloom of the tea. I didn’t get squeamish easily, but the ghastly sights I beheld on Urwan were on a different level. It was hard to stop thinking about the wreckage and suffocating wretchedness hanging over the broken streets.
I was only supposed to take a pit stop on this planet. I had intended to use Urwan for a quick refueling of my ship, and treat myself to some spontaneous exploring around the district while I was there. The layover was scheduled for an hour. As soon as the door of my ship slid open, I knew fate had derailed my plans.
The first thing I saw and smelled was the orange smog lingering from Makroid explosives and gunfire. Large tents covered the blast sites. Incredibly, the sides of partially destroyed buildings were still warm to the touch.
In the middle of one of the village squares, something that was once a twelve-tiered fountain had completely collapsed, debris raining on and severely damaging the surrounding houses and shops. If I closed my eyes, I thought I could almost hear the faint traces of the villagers’ screams punctuating the dead air around me.
The sight that made me shake in my boots was the appearance of a small, three-roomed school by the village outskirts. A bomb had blasted a large hole through the side. I could see through the dauntingly hollow structure. Blackened desks and charred chunks of books lay scattered across the dirt-caked floors. Someone had erected a beautiful memorial next to the road on the side of the building. Flower bouquets and cloth dolls basked in the glow of the surrounding candles.
The unmatched spirit and close kinship that bonded the Urwanians together was genuinely inspiring to me. Thousands of Urwanians from across the planet flew to the scenes of destruction with the single purpose of providing aid. In addition to tents giving shelter to the displaced Urwanians, they set up round-the-clock medical centers, provisional playgrounds, and food and water stations in the ailing cities.
I always had a fondness for Urwanians and their age-old culture. Not only was the planet breathtaking, but much of its multifaceted beauty was uncorrupted by expansion, which always kept me coming back for more. The food was excellent, music and art astounding, and their residents friendly and charitable. I had never had a negative exchange with an Urwanian.
Until today. The Urwanian from the temple was something else. I sipped on my tea absentmindedly, forehead creasing at the thought of the rude alien. I couldn’t believe that I found him as infuriatingly attractive as he was ill-mannered. I suppose the Urwanian’s attitude at seeing an unknown face could be understandable. They were in the middle of a stressful situation.
Still, he could have been nicer about it.
Whether I liked it or not, the alien had been popping up in my mind all day. My imagination was wildly distracting, and the fact that the strapping alien was just my type didn’t help. The smoldering, deep-set eyes behind his penetrating gaze were amber, like all Urwanians, but something was different about this one. I had been so close to him that his eyes looked golden. I couldn’t forget the clearly defined chest bulging out of a sleeveless black tunic. And those strong, toasted arms looked masculine as he flexed them in their full glory when he reached for his neutralizer.
An array of weapons filled his tactical utility belt, but I knew he was packing much more than that.
It felt like he was in the room with me. Before the door of the divination closet could close, he had already thrust me against the wall. Our arms tangled together and reached for each other in clumsy passion as our weapon belts fell onto the wooden floor. As he yanked the zipper down my back, our flaming lips connected.
The coarse texture of a beard scratched against my chin as his lips tasted and savored me, encouraging me to kiss him more intensely than before. I raked a hand through the back of his sandy-blond hair and slipped my tongue through the crack of his lips. I felt my cheeks flush pink. My skin turned slippery in the muggy heat of the compact room. And still, I wanted him closer.
I ripped open the diagonal buttons of his tunic and dove into the opening of his top. As my fingers hungrily pawed at his sweaty chest, the pink on my face spread to my ears. I needed him, and I needed him now.
He pulled away from me and eased the sleeves of my bodysuit down my shoulders. I gulped, shivering at the sudden draft blowing against my bare skin. The sensation of his touch was becoming unbearable.
Slowly, carefully, he kissed my shoulders and nurtured my burgeoning breasts with his palms. I wasn’t willing to wait any longer. I pried his hands off my chest and pushed his head down.
I caught a flash of white teeth. The corners of his lips pulled back in a sly grin as he stripped off the rest of my bodysuit and swept me off my feet, hoisting me onto a bench.
I barely had time to sink into the cushion. He plunged to his knees and forced my legs apart. As he breathed in the musk of my sex, I shimmied out of my panties and hooked my ankles over his shoulders. I made myself comfortable against the wall and slid two fingers into myself, inviting him to approach.
The light coming through the latticed window cast crisscrossing patterns upon his naked torso. I could see the inflating silhouette of the cock between his legs, gently pushing against the crotch of his pants as I teased him. Raising my leg, I gingerly touched the shape of his erection, feeling him grow against my foot.
That was when he decided he had had enough. He pushed his head between my legs and took full control. He licked my pulsing lips, nuzzling the tip of his nose against my clit. I gasped, fighting to keep my body under control. My knees squeezed the sides of his head as I struggled to keep myself from sliding off the wall, but instead of slowing him down, it increased his drive.
I grabbed the narrow ledge above me and strengthened the grip of my damp legs around his shoulders. Panting breaths mingled with the titillating, soft slurping. My toes started to curl. I could feel myself getting close, and I knew he could sense it too.
While his tongue plunged in and out of me, he walked two fingers up the curve of my ass. I swallowed hard. My nails dug into the ledge so forcefully that I could feel wooden splinters nudging against my fingertips.
His finger tickled the spot around the crevice between my butt cheeks, sending a new wave of involuntary shivers down my spine. I scraped my toes against his shoulders while my head started to spin. His free hand went straight for my clit, manipulating the bud as he sent me into mind-numbing ecstasy.
I could feel myself slowly building up and then it happened.
“Alert. We are approaching Vukovich and will begin to descend in thirty minutes.”
I jumped in my seat, splashing tepid tea all over my lap. “Damn it!”
“The local time is a quarter past noon, and the temperature is twelve degrees Celsius. Is there a problem, Christine?”
; “No, everything’s fine,” I muttered, mopping up the tea from the floor. “I spilled my drink.”
“Very well. For your attire, I suggest at least three layers, preferably in wool. Remember to bring a dagger or a satchel of raw meat to ward off wild dahmerbeasts. Remain seated and fasten your seat belt when the orange light comes on.”
“Thanks, Desiree. Um...would you mind giving me a break for a minute here?” After peeling the crotch of my panties from my suddenly dripping pussy, I rose from the pilot’s seat. I had no idea what had come over me. I didn’t even know the Urwanian’s name, and I was never going to see him again. I needed to get a grip.
I climbed the pole to the upper deck looking for a change of clothes, shoving all thoughts of the alien to the back of my mind.
Chapter Eight
AXL
“Let’s get the cargo on those ships!” Isley’s voice bounced around the dockyard.
Around me, Urwanian palace staff in all shapes and sizes were in constant motion. The women were in charge of supplying the spacecraft. Some loaded crates with canned food and silver packages of ready-to-eat meals. Others filled containers with first-aid kits, sterilized surgical tools, and kysum antidotes. A third group handled the storage of weapons, ammunition, and combat equipment.
The crates were slowly lifted onto trolleys and passed along to young Urwanian males. The boxes, along with barrels of water and ale, were hauled up the ramps of the Magnum and Urwanian military space vessels, filling the storage compartments and galleys. A team of technicians in welding helmets performed last-minute maintenance, making sure the ships were still spaceworthy.
My squad, along with the Urwanian soldiers handpicked by the Empress, formed a circle at the far end of the dockyard. All of us waited as Isley pulled up next to me, squeezing herself into the circle. She pulled dark blue hair away from her face and piled it into a bun on top of her head. “We’re ready to go, Chief.”
I acknowledged her with a curt nod. “Very well. Let us proceed.”
The shaman and his assistant stood in the center of the circle. He cleared his throat and straightened out the lapels of his jewel-covered robes. He raised his brass staff, rattling the red konga fruit and prayer shells strung around the crook of the pole. The assistant stood at his side, face hidden behind the hood of an open robe. He picked up the azlut branches on the ground and lit the pale purple leaves.
We held out our crossed wrists and closed our eyes in prayer.
“With the power vested in me, I call upon the highest power, our Holy One, Zamos, and ask for Her to grant blessings upon my brothers and sisters. Give them guidance and lead them on the path to success.”
“Mala halakhe,” we whispered.
The shaman took the burning leaves and paced around the inside of the circle, waving pungent smoke in our faces. “We ask our Holy One to take our fallen brothers and sisters under your wing. Grant a fast and thorough recovery for the wounded warriors, acquirers, and civilians. We ask you to nourish the strength within us to overcome these trying times. But most of all, we pray for peace.”
“Mala halakhe.”
The shaman handed the leaves back to his assistant. He untied the konga fruit from his staff and cracked them open. Holding the hairy husks in his hands, he dipped his fingers inside and painted triangles onto our chests with the syrupy blue juice. His assistant followed behind him, carrying a leather-bound holy book in his hands.
While they started to recite the warrior’s prayer, each of us prepared to lay our palms on the cover of the book. The assistant passed a tin vessel of blessed broth around the circle. The ritual continued without interruption until the shaman arrived at Natya. She closed her eyes and laid her hand on the holy book.
“In the name of Zamos, I pray for my sister.” The shaman’s assistant placed his hand on Natya’s forehead. “We pray for you to guide her with your light, and to instill righteousness, honor, and inner strength in this noble warrior.”
Something was wrong. I looked in Natya’s direction. Her skin had turned a pasty color, and her lips were chalk-white. She took a deep breath and started to sway on her feet.
She began falling in a moment. Her arms and legs went rigid, and suddenly she was on her back. Cries of despair rang out around the circle as we rushed to her aid.
“What is happening to her?”
“Give her some room!” I ordered, trying to push people back. “Summon a medic or get some water. Don’t stand around doing nothing.”
While most of the squad gathered around Natya, a few scrambled for help. Natya’s eyes rolled upward, exposing the whites and beginning to twitch. When she began to convulse violently, Isley and I rolled her onto her side. Barthan inserted a pillow under the edge of Natya’s cheek. He pushed away the matted hair on her forehead to feel her temperature.
“Is she choking?” Isley held Natya’s hand, brushing her hair. “I feel like I have to do something!”
Next to me, the shaman and his assistant exchanged puzzled looks. “Has this happened to her before?” The shaman knelt beside Natya and tilted her head back. “Could it be an allergic reaction to the azlut smoke?”
“Possibly, but I doubt it. I’m sure Natya has been around it before.”
Natya stopped seizing and rolled onto her back, groaning as she blinked her eyes and tried to get her body under control again. Isley and I slid our arms beneath her and lifted her upright.
“That was terrifying.” Isley took the flask of water from Barthan and raised it to Natya’s lips. But she pushed the cup out of her face.
“You’re not going to believe this, but a pillar was recently here.” She looked at me curiously.
“What did she say?”
“She must still be delirious.”
“I know what I’m saying.” Natya’s voice grew louder than before, and she spoke over everyone as she pushed herself off the ground. “I saw it in my head. I know it’s the truth.”
“Natya.” The shaman spoke with a hushed voice as he gently squeezed her arm. “If I did not know any better, my child, I would say that you have just experienced a wisulu vision.”
I stepped around the shaman so I could look Natya in the eyes. “Okay, maybe it was here. But we need to know where it is right now.”
“I’m not sure.” Natya shut her eyes and scrunched up her face. “It’s headed west. That’s all I can tell you.”
I nodded, my fingers slowly curling into fists. If Natya was right, we were finally catching a break. There was no telling who might be in possession of the pillar. The timing suggested an Urwanian rebel group, or possibly a dissenter who went rogue. They might already be on their way to Makroi. If the artifact could focus power like the ancient stories suggested, we had to act quickly.
“It’s better than nothing. We’ll have to take a chance. Alert all the nearby kingdoms and tell them to keep their eyes open. Ready or not, we’re going to start moving.”
Chapter Nine
CHRISTINE
My ship was in total disarray. I had thrown open all the drawers and cabinet doors. Pieces of freestanding furniture were out of place and flipped upside down. Piles of clothes, bags, and shoes littered the floors on both decks.
“Come on. It’s got to be here somewhere. A-ha!” I pulled out a small plastic card from the bottom of a sock pile. I turned it over and read the block print aloud. “VIP Membership for Memphis Pizza Palace. Shit, it’s expired, too.”
Blowing a raspberry, I tossed the card over my shoulder. I had combed through every inch, nook and cranny on the ship for over three hours. So far, I had only found a runaway bra, a makeup brush I thought was lost somewhere in a black hole, and a piece of six-year-old candy under the refrigerator.
What I hadn’t found was my license.
I climbed onto the pole and slid down to the lower deck.
“Is everything alright, Christine?”
“Desiree, have I installed a tracking sticker on my intergalactic explorer’s license?”
>
“It seems doubtful. If you had, you could have asked me to find it immediately.” Desiree paused. “I have failed to locate your license. Better luck next time.”
“All right. Thanks for nothing.” I sighed, falling into the pilot’s chair with a heavy thump. I wasn’t the most organized person around, but I thought had developed the habit of keeping my essentials with me at all times, including my license. I guess my habit wasn’t strong enough. I could not recall where or when it had gone missing. I only realized something was wrong when I arrived at the Vukovich trading post. As sympathetic as the trader was to my situation, he refused to do business with me until I could identify myself.
“Change of plans, Desiree. We’re going back home.”
“Splendid. Shall I change our course to Earth?”
“Confirmed.”
“Who is it?” a voice trilled from the other end of the polished cherry wood door.
“It’s me.” That was always a safe answer. I fluffed the pink carnations on a heart-shaped wreath. The door flew open, and a nasal squeal immediately greeted me. Aunt Meredith was a sight to behold in a lacy pink party dress, silk headband, and matching pink peonies. She threw her arms around me and pulled me close. I felt smothered by her sickeningly sweet perfume.
“My goodness, Christine!” Aunt Meredith pinched my cheeks with gloved fingers. “I’ve missed you!”
“I’m right here, in the flesh.” I hugged her back. “I missed you, too.”
The smile on her face slowly faded as she examined my face. “Are you okay? I’ve been worried sick about you. You’ve hurt yourself.” She ran a finger across the scar on my face.
“There’s no need to fuss.” I smiled at her reassuringly, turning my face from side to side. “I’m completely healed. I picked up a rare salve from Kleon that seemed to be magic in a tube.” I paused, taking a deep breath. “Listen, I’m sorry about hanging up on you.”