by M. K. Eidem
"And what's that?"
"There was another group taken before Kim. They, too, were taken by the Ganglians but were sold into slavery. The Kaliszians discovered them on one of their planets where another species had them mining illegally."
"Where are these people?"
"Two of them are in medical while the rest are still on the Tornian ship in space with Kaliszian Minister Ruskin. Minister Jakob Ruskin was charged with their care by his Emperor, Liron Kalinin. Once they are all back on Earth, Minister Ruskin will appear before you to negotiate the agreement the Kaliszians wish to make with Earth."
"To feed their people," Chancellor Khatri spoke, showing her understanding of what was happening.
"Yes," Trisha nodded.
"How does entering into an agreement with either of them benefit Earth?" Chancellor Smyth questioned.
"The Tornians and Kaliszians will, in exchange for us assisting them, protect Earth from the Ganglians who are stealing, abusing, and enslaving our people."
"How do we even know these 'Ganglians' exist?" Chancellor Abara questioned.
"I believe once you speak with the abductees, you'll have no doubt. And before you say anything else, there is a third group that the Kaliszians discovered in their Empire and this one I know you have all heard of. It is the women that went missing from the Global Petroleum Corporation."
A shocked silence filled the room. A worldwide search had been conducted as Global Petroleum was an international corporation, and the missing women hadn't just been from the United States.
"They were found in the Kaliszian Empire?" Chancellor Abara’s hushed query was easily heard.
"Yes, on a Ganglian ship that planned on selling them on the black market to Kaliszian males who are desperate to continue their bloodline."
"Emperor Vasteri is searching for those unworthy males, and once they are found, they will be punished." Ull had trusted Trisha would know the best way to explain things to her leaders but now felt he needed to speak, so they knew this was unacceptable to the Tornian Emperor. "A female able to give a Tornian male fit and worthy offspring is the most valuable thing in the Tornian Empire. They are cherished and protected. Anyone who harms one is ended."
Trisha translated and watched the shock and disbelief that crossed the leaders’ faces.
"That still doesn't mean we should offer up our women in exchange for this so-called protection. How do we know you aren't the ones taking the females?" President Ochoa had a good point, and Trisha wasn't sure how to address the fact that the Tornians had taken Earth females and had no intention of returning them, but she also knew that the Earth needed their protection. Not only from the Ganglians but from the Regulians, who they hadn't even addressed yet.
"President Ochoa…" Aaron began, only to pause when Ull reached inside his jacket as a strange beeping sound filled the room.
"What is it, Veron?" Ull growled.
"We've discovered a Ganglian ship orbiting Earth, and they have a shuttle heading toward the surface."
"How in the name of the Goddess did you not detect them approaching?!" Ull's eyes shot to Trish at her shocked gasp.
"Our current location isn't optimal for monitoring the entirety of space," Veron fired back.
Ull growled his displeasure but knew this wasn't Veron's fault. They would need at least four ships encircling the planet along with multiple deep space satellites before the Earth would be adequately protected. But that couldn't happen until they reached an agreement with Earth. "Can you calculate their destination?"
"Yes. If they continue on their current course, they will land in the mountains to the west and north of you."
"How long until they reach the surface?"
"Twenty-five minutes."
"What's happened?" Aaron demanded in Tornian.
"There is a Ganglian ship orbiting this planet. They've launched a shuttle, and it's heading toward the surface."
Trisha translated for the rest of the assembly as the President contacted the head of NACB security, putting it on speaker. "Admiral, are our radars picking up any incoming spacecraft?"
The President had thoroughly briefed Admiral McDonald before Ull's arrival. Aaron had known the man hadn't wholly believed his Commander-in-Chief, but seeing Ull and his ship suddenly appear had changed that. "Spacecraft?"
"Yes, Warrior Ull has been notified there is a hostile ship heading toward Earth."
"One moment, sir."
"You won't detect it," Ull told the President.
"Why?"
"Because while Ganglian ships have only the most rudimentary of shielding, it will still be undetectable with your primitive systems."
"But you can?"
"Yes, and once they are close enough, you will be able to see them with the naked eye."
"Sir, there are no unknowns on any radar." Admiral McDonald's confirmation had Aaron frowning.
"Keep scanning, Admiral." Aaron’s gaze remained locked with Ull. "Can you track them, Warrior Ull?"
"Yes, President Garcia. If they maintain their current course, they will be landing in the mountains to the northwest of here."
"In my country?" The Canadian Prime Minister demanded.
"Unknown at this time," Ull responded, understanding the female leader because his hand was still on Trisha's leg.
"How long until you know for sure?" Trisha asked.
"Veron, are they maintaining course?" Ull demanded knowing the Captain was listening.
"Yes, they're currently heading toward you."
"Transmit the coordinates to the shuttle."
"Ull, what are you doing?" Trisha demanded placing a hand on his arm when Ull rose. She'd translated everything between Ull and Veron, but she didn't know what Ull was planning.
"What I was trained to do. I will not allow them to abduct any more of your people. To do that, I need to intercept the Ganglians."
"But…"
"Warrior Ull, you will take members from the Earth's military with you."
"That won't be necessary, President Garcia."
"It wasn't a request, Warrior Ull." The power in the President's voice was undeniable. "Our men need to know what we are facing."
"I agree." The Canadian Prime Minister said after Trisha translated the conversation. "We cannot fight what we do not know."
"But, they won't be able to understand Warrior Ull." Trisha reminded them.
"Then you will just have to go with them," the Asian Chancellor told her.
"No!" Ull and Aaron growled together.
Trisha understood their concern, and if she were honest with herself, she didn't want to go. From what the abductees had told her, these Ganglians were genuinely terrifying. But there was no way Ull would be able to communicate with anyone without her there.
"I'll go," she said over the rising voices.
"You will not," Ull growled down angrily at her.
Trisha just ignored him and looked to her tío. "May I recommend that whoever you send speak English? It would allow me to translate more expediently."
Aaron wanted to argue that it was too dangerous for her to go. She was his niece, and he'd promised his sister he would always protect her. But as the President of the United States, he knew the only way this would work was if Trisha went with them.
"Are there any objections that those going come from the NACB security force?" Aaron asked, looking around the room when no one protested he looked back to Trisha. "Then so be it. Admiral McDonald."
"Yes, Mr. President." McDonald instantly responded as the President had left the line open.
"Gather…" Aaron switched to Tornian to ask Ull. "How many men can you take?"
Ull angrily glared at the President. How could this male allow any female, let alone one under his protection, get anywhere near a Ganglian? Didn't he understand how vicious they were or how precious Trisha was? If he didn't, Ull did, so he would make sure Trisha was protected.
"Warrior Ull?"
"Eight," Ull bit out.
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"Don't you need more than that?"
"It is the number the shuttle will hold." Ull wasn't going to reveal that with the humans' smaller size, the shuttle could hold more. Still, with their inability to directly communicate, these Earthians never having encountered a Ganglian before, and Trisha being there, he wasn't going to allow more than that. When he saw the President open his mouth again, Ull snapped out. "If you wish to prevent the Ganglians from abducting more of your people, we need to leave immediately." With that, Ull spun on his heel and headed for the door.
"Admiral McDonald, send your best eight men to the Tornian shuttle immediately. Fully armed. They will receive and follow the orders from Warrior Ull once they are in the air."
"Yes, sir."
Trisha and her tío shared one last look before she turned and ran to catch up with Ull.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Trisha didn't say a word as she followed Ull, partly because she didn't know what to say and partly because she was becoming breathless with how quickly they were moving. When they were back in the open area where they'd landed the shuttle, she saw eight soldiers already there.
They were all dressed in the black high impact body armor all elite soldiers wore, including the helmets that conformed around their necks protecting that vulnerable area. The dark reflective visors that generally covered their faces were retracted, and each carried an armada of weapons, the largest being the automatic rifle in their hands.
One of the men stepped forward as they approached. "Captain Anderson, reporting as ordered."
Trisha translated then asked. "Do you know why you are here?"
"No." While he remained still, the Captain's gaze followed Ull as he walked up to the shuttle. He couldn't see what the alien did, but whatever it was caused the ramp to lower and the hatch to open. "We were told Warrior Ull would inform us."
Ull just grunted and moved up the ramp as Trisha translated.
"I'm sure he will once we are on the shuttle," Trisha told them quickly, moving up the ramp. Once inside, she found Ull already at the controls. "You need to talk to them, Ull. They're here to help you."
"I don't need help."
"Then why the hell did you even bother coming to Earth?!" she demanded, running an exasperated hand through her hair.
Ull gave her a confused look. "You know why."
"Because you need us, and we need you."
Ull didn't like it put that way. After all, Tornians were the most feared warriors in the Known Universes, but he couldn't deny her words were truth. "Truth."
"Then you must know you have to work with everyone on Earth, including our men, because there's going to be a great deal of outrage when they learn what you want in return for your assistance and that you've already taken some of our females… just like the Ganglians did."
Ull growled his displeasure at what she was saying, but again it was truth.
"You need to start building bridges, Ull. So why not start now?"
"Build bridges?"
"It's a reference to attempting to span the gap between you and the men of Earth," she explained.
Ull realized this was what he'd been sent to Earth to do. To 'span the gap' as Trisha called it, and he suddenly realized it something he'd been trained to do his whole life. After all, he was the first male to a Lord, and a great deal of a Lord's job was resolving disputes. It was time he started acting like one. Swiveling his seat around, he found the eight Earth soldiers silently watching him.
"I am the Tornian Warrior, Ull Rigel, first male of Oryon and Isis Rigel, Lord and Lady of the Planet Betelgeuse." Ull wasn't sure why he'd included his mother in that statement, but it had just come out, and it felt right to acknowledge her. "A species called Ganglians are on their way down to the surface of your planet to abduct females. We will stop them. Know this, the Ganglians are larger than you, faster than you, and stronger than you. They also show no mercy and thrive on inflicting as much pain as possible. When you see one, end it. Do not hesitate. For I tell you truth, that it will not."
Ull let his gaze travel over each male, and while he saw several eyes widened slightly; no other expression showed.
"How do we recognize these… Ganglians?" Anderson calmly questioned.
"They are large. Almost as tall and wide as me." Ull had positioned his knee, so it touched Trisha's when she'd turned her seat so he could directly understand what the Earth males were saying. "They secrete an offensive odor and are covered in long filthy hair."
"They look like Big Foot," Trisha told them.
"Big Foot?" one of the male's huffed.
"I know it sounds crazy." Trisha's eyes went to the soldier that had spoken. "But that has consistently been what the abductees have said. They look like Big Foot, and they stink to high heaven."
A beeping from the consul had Ull turning back to find Veron had sent the flight path of the Ganglian shuttle. "Strap into your seats," Ull growled as his fingers moved over the controls starting the shuttle's engines. "The Ganglians will be landing in ten minutes."
"Where?" Captain Anderson demanded as he took the seat closest to Ull.
Ull touched a few buttons and a holographic projection of where they were and where they were going.
"We'll never get there in time to intercept!"
"No, but we won't be that far behind." Ull didn't see the disbelieving look Anderson gave him, but Trisha did.
"Tornian ships travel a great deal faster than ours, Captain."
"But that's over eight hundred miles away in Canada." Anderson's next words were cut off as he was pressed back into his seat as the shuttle surged forward. After several moments, the pressure eased, and leaning forward, he was astonished to see how fast the land beneath them was passing by, and before he knew it, the Canadian Rockies were rising before them.
"Are these Ganglians able to travel this fast?" he asked, looking to Ull.
"No, although by your standards, they are extremely fast."
Anderson frowned, his gaze going to Trisha when Ull responded without Trisha translating his question. "I thought you were here because he couldn't understand English."
"He can't," Trisha told him then gestured to where her and Ull's knees touched. "I have to translate for him unless we're physically connected."
"You can't be planning to go as we hunt the Ganglians!"
"Of course not," she denied before Ull could say anything. "I'll be staying in the shuttle. Warrior Ull will relay through me what he wants you to do." At least that's what she assumed. Looking at Ull, she saw him nod.
"Tell them we will arrive in three minutes." After she did, he continued. "Ganglians have long claws on both their hands and their feet, and they won't hesitate to use them to eviscerate you. Stay out of their reach. The easiest way to kill one is to cut off its head, but as none of you carry a sword," he absently reached back to touch the hilt of his resting against his spine. "I would recommend you bring them down by shooting them multiple times in the chest then blow their heads off."
Trisha paled at the violence of Ull's words as he landed the shuttle, but she translated what he said to Anderson and saw his men nod. God, what type of men readily accepted the use of such violence and what type of male was Ull to be able to suggest it.
Chapter Ten
As they approached the clearing where the Ganglians had landed, Ull slowed the shuttle. The Ganglians had chosen well. This was a secluded area, but his instruments told him it wasn't that far away from a group of humans. He didn't know what they were doing this far out, but he knew they were what attracted the Ganglians to the area.
Trisha took in the Ganglian shuttle as Ull landed on the opposite side of the clearing. It was the same shape and matte black color as the one she was riding in, but that was where the resemblance ended. The Ganglian shuttle was covered in dents and scratches like the ones on a child's abused dump truck. The thought of traveling through space in something that damaged scared the crap out of her.
"Are there
Ganglians in there?" She found herself almost whispering when she saw the open hatch and extended ramp.
"No. They have already left." Ull pulled up a different holographic map showing multiple dots in two distinct colors. "These are the Ganglians." He pointed to six black dots that were moving parallel to one another. "And these are your people." He pointed to a cluster of several dozen red dots that seemed to be stationary.
"It's a campsite," Anderson told him, standing up to take a closer look.
"Campsite?" Ull gave him a questioning look.
"Yes. It's where a group of people sleep and eat while they hike the trails and explore the area around them."
"Males and females?" Ull couldn't believe a male would risk his female that way.
"And most likely children. Many families like to camp together. Can your equipment differentiate any of that?" Anderson looked to Ull.
"No, just the number of beings."
Anderson turned back to his men. "There are several dozen civilians in the area, some of whom may be children. Fire accordingly." The soldiers grunted their understanding.
Ull opened a comm to the Searcher. "Veron."
"Here."
"I'll be leaving this comm open. Representative Burke will remain on the shuttle. If the unthinkable were to occur, you will remote pilot her to safety."
"Ull!" Trisha looked at him in shock
"The Ganglians will never touch you, Trisha."
"What's wrong?" Anderson demanded, his gaze moving from Ull to Trisha.
"I…"
"I need one of the Captain's communications devices," Ull interrupted. "I need to sync it to the shuttles comm center."
Anderson removed his own and handed it to Ull once Trisha translated, and they both watched as Ull put it on a glowing circle. Several moments later, a beep sounded, and Ull handed the device back.
"You will now be able to relay my instructions to them," Ull told her. "And relay any questions they have to me. All you need to do is listen then press this," he pointed to a button, "to communicate with me and this one with them." He pointed to another switch.
Trisha nodded her understanding, and after Ull put in his own Tornian earpiece, they tested the connections and found they worked.