Dominic's Star

by Michael Mandrake

  “C’mon girl. One last ride to Megiddo before we go back to Damascus, the mother of all mothers.” Renard laughed, pulling the lever towards him to change course. He’d been on his way back before the command center had pissed him off.

  Now, they’d freaking wait until Renard played a few games of poker and fucked a few willing men before fighting with him.

  Megiddo was the perfect way to let off steam, considering only some Federation members visited. Thank goodness his father wasn’t one of them, saying he wouldn’t be caught dead in such a wretched place. Good thing too, since Renard wasn’t in the mood to be spotted and reprimanded for enjoying some naughty fun.

  Knowing this trip would take Renard a full day, he pushed the yellow button for autopilot and got up from his chair. He headed back to the lavatory to relieve himself, before hitting the refractory in the back of the ship.

  Although not much was edible back there, Renard would have to make do since he didn’t pick up any food during his last trek. He’d be more than okay once he reached Megiddo since they had a variety of places to grab groceries for the ship and get good eats. For now, he’d enjoy the comforts of his bunk and dream of some willing man he’d love to sink his dick into.

  Chapter Two

  Dominic

  This sucks!

  Dominic rolled over in bed, still sickened by what occurred. Even the massive amounts of FreshWater, hadn’t cured the ill feelings he experienced when his name wasn’t called.

  Bratzo didn’t pick me.

  Even worse, Dominic ran away, ignoring the captain’s calls to rush to the lavatory. When he arrived, Dominic emptied the contents in his stomach, then slid to the floor, crying loud enough for everyone to hear. Only Patton, a fellow ranger, came to check on Dominic, because everyone else was busy congratulating Stone.

  Patton and Dominic hadn’t seen eye to eye over the years, especially after finding out they weren’t compatible in the bedroom. He was a handsome man with black curly hair and greenish blue eyes, and not as obnoxious as Stone. Despite their differences, Patton appeared to be genuinely concerned for Dominic’s well-being.

  “You knew this would happen, Sutton.” Merkin spoke from overhead.

  “Not now, asshole. I’m not in the mood!” Dominic lifted his head, grabbed the bottle and drank a heavy helping.

  “Surely, yelling obscenities will solve nothing.”

  “Yeah, but it makes me feel a helluva lot better.” Dominic placed the bottle on the side table and dropped back on the bed.

  “Hmm. Instead of sulking over this predicament, why not prove to them why you should’ve been selected?”

  “And how will I do that? You know the story. You’re plugged in to everything Dominic Sutton —”

  “Which is why I know Dominic Sutton wouldn’t take this lying down.” The computer cut him off. “You’re capable of proving yourself and letting them know this was a mistake.”

  Dominic shifted and propped his head up with his arm. Sometimes he wished he could disconnect this smart ass computer program, but then he’d be lost without it. “Okay, okay. Humor me. How will I do this?”

  “You’ll go to Hunarth and scope out the planet before Stone does.”

  “Shi…” Dominic scraped his forehead with his nails, wondering if Merkin had a point. He grimaced when his claws protruded from his hand. His monster needed to be released.

  “All right, that’s an idea. But I’ll need to steal his ship.”

  “Which you can do, if you move this moon light.”

  Dominic liked the riskiness of the idea, but he wasn’t confident he could pull it off without getting caught. Something like this would surely earn him a trip to the Gocara prisons that were anything but pleasurable. “This one? I need to plan. I need —”

  “I’ll help. Remember, I’m plugged into your brain.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Dominic retorted. Although he was born to lead, his drive didn’t stop him from making rash decisions. Another trait he’d picked up from his no good dad he’d never shake. That mentality was the one that got him killed, leaving Dominic without a father. If it weren’t for the Messoli, Dominic would’ve ended up in the same predicament as his dad.

  Dead before he could even enjoy his life as a family man.

  I can’t do this.

  Dominic went over things in his head, coming up with more rational reasons not to go through with this. He shouldn’t be thinking of risking his freedom just to prove a point. Admittedly Stone had been better than him in some instances, but dammit he had more to offer as a lieutenant. Staying a ranger, his capabilities were quickly going to waste.

  “I know it’s risky…”

  “Ya think?” Dominic shifted again, feeling the numbness wear off. He’d been lying in this bed for a long while, staring at the ceiling, contemplating his next move. No matter how hurt his feelings were, leaving the Messoli wasn’t an option.

  Your next move should be doing as I say.” Merkin said without hesitation. “With my help, you can pull this off. Besides, I would not come up with this if it weren't for your brain.”

  “Yeah. That’s the doofus in me talking. Don’t listen to him.” Dominic took another swig of the LifeWater and swished it around his mouth. Maybe he should find the lizard alien again to fuck the pain away…

  Maybe…

  “Dominic! There’s no use feeling bad for yourself. You’re more than qualified to pull this off. You want that promotion to lieutenant you’ll have to bend a couple of rules to get it.”

  Dominic still doubted this plan, but it couldn’t hurt to hear his STAT, Sensibilities Technology Associate Trainer, to lay out his devious plan. “Go on and tell me what my nonsensical side is cooking up.”

  “Sneak into Oncubus and steal Stone’s jet. Gather the information the captain needs for the takeover and come back before the Hunartheons catch you. The captain will be upset, but when he sees the information you’ve gathered, he’ll forgive you and promote you to second in command.”

  “Just that simple, huh?” Dominic released a nervous laugh. Just the thought of doing something like this made him jittery. He might’ve been overconfident, but he wouldn’t do well behind Gocarian bars. Any prison really because Dominic had a fast ass and an even faster mouth. With that going on he wouldn’t last more than a day.

  “It is simple. As I said, I will assist. I’ll turn off the cameras in Oncubus while you make your way to Hunarth.”

  “On second thought, I’ll take Yancey. He’s more than capable.”

  “I doubt that seriously. Like your former man, he might have trouble getting it up.”

  Dominic chuckled then grabbed his abdomen when he felt a sharp pain. “Okay stop with the wide cracks.” He rubbed his belly. “Damn you're harsh.”

  “Plugged into your brain, remember? If you take Yancey, it lowers the chance of getting caught by our superiors but increases the risk of being found by the Hunartheons. Who would you rather deal with?”

  “I’ll take my chance with the slimy, slow ones.” Dominic said after finishing his drink.

  “All right. Well, I could give Yancey a boost to help you get away if needed.”

  “Good. This is still wrong as hell, but I’ll do it. Stone might’ve been picked, but Bratzo selected the wrong guy.”

  “That’s the spirit. Get your rest while I work on Yancey. You’ll need it to outrun the Hunarthians tonight.”

  “Yeah, which won’t be much of a stretch since they can’t run.” Dominic chuckled, feeling better. The computer had been right about him not taking this lying down, especially since Dominic was in his prime. He’d be damned if he allowed Stone to take that position that was rightfully his.

  Dominic’s time was now.

  He wouldn’t settle for anything less.

  Later that moon light, Dominic left his cavern for the neighboring planet of Hunarth. With it being so close to Gocara in the solar system, it was only natural the Gocarian government wished to invade a
nd claim it as its own. Sensible too, since many Gocarians visited Hunarth during Cold Season.

  Hunarth’s mild temperatures weren’t the only reason. The planet was rich in minerals and vegetation, both things Gocara lacked. Due to the heat and cold, Gocara wasn’t ideal for plants, nor to harvest any kind of minerals needed for fuel or medicine. With Hunarth under their control, Gocara would have a regular place to gather things it needed to survive well into the next millennium.

  With the trip being a short one, Dominic didn’t have time to rest. He flew the whole way, not using the autopilot since he’d arrive before sun light. Merkin had provided the plans for the mission by hacking into the Oncubus computer. What they wished to know was if the Hunartheons stored their minerals and if so, where? Were they natural resources? The captain had laid out several tasks for Stone, but Dominic would only focus on the most important things. Spending too much time on the planet would get Dominic either captured or killed.

  After a couple of hours, Dominic got set to land the ship on Hunarth. He pressed a couple of buttons overhead, activating the shield, making his spacecraft undetectable by Hunarth’s command center, and another to quiet the ship’s engines. With this still being Heat Season, the Hunartheons weren’t expecting any Gocarian visitors. Gocara hadn’t thought to overtake Hunarth until recently, which was why in all their prior visits no one had thought to search the planet for vital minerals.

  Not able to land on the regular pad, Dominic found a desolate spot in the hills, away from their homes and places of business. Farther away, meant he wouldn’t be easy to find.

  Once he touched down, Dominic left the cockpit, grabbing his laser gun, knife, and a survival kit with water, food, and first aid supplies. Doing this alone, he had to be prepared for anything.

  After gathering everything he needed, Dominic exited the ship. The door closed. No one would be able to enter, giving him an extra advantage if he needed to make a quick getaway.

  The air was crisp and cool, but not enough to warrant any additional clothing. The only drawback was protection against any flying bugs that would irritate Dominic, possibly drawing his beast out. Couldn't have that when he was trying to stay undetected.

  Despite the airborne menaces, Hunarth was a destination spot. In all his travels, Dominic wondered why the planet’s conditions were more favorable than Gocara. Hunartheons didn’t seem to know how good they had it, always visiting his planet as if they had something better to offer when in truth Gocara had very little. They were well equipped with technology and the best doctors, which might’ve been enough to make anyone desire those things.

  Still Dominic thought he’d take their weather over all else because natural resources were essential for survival. For too long Gocara had stolen things from other planets and now needed to do more if they wished to thrive.

  “Merkin, come in?” Dominic spoke into his armband. Walking through the grassy plains, his feet sank in certain portions that weren’t level, almost making him lose his balance.

  He had no idea where exactly he was and required the computer to assist.

  Being so late in the moon light, the bright star reigned overhead, surrounded by an orange glow emanating heat that made Dominic sweat. He fanned himself as he strolled through the terrain, avoiding low hanging tree branches and stepping over rocks. Good thing he’d worn his protective boots.

  “I’m here. Remember, your first mission is to find minerals. Gold, silver, especially. We use those for our ships. Also, quartz for our medicines. Then move onto locating a hideaway for us to leave our ships during the takeover.”

  “Copy that. Stay close, will you?” Dominic pressed the button. After running his hand over his forehead, he grabbed his water jog, taking a big gulp to quench his thirst. Not knowing how long this would take, he’d been smart in bringing it along.

  As Dominic continued, he pulled his scope from his pocket and pressed the button to examine the soil. The red light indicated there were remnants of possible resources, but none he could take with him. He pressed another button to mark where he was, before continuing down the hill, to look further. Several other portions of the ground lit up, giving Dominic more than enough information to give to the captain. It was almost too easy, but he’d always known the Hunartheons to lack intelligence.

  Unless…

  Shit.

  Suddenly, Dominic felt uneasy. Bile rose in his throat, knowing he might’ve set off a trap and would need to run if he didn't want to get caught. He backed in the opposite direction and put his scope away, grabbing his gun instead. As panic raced through him, he panted like a dog in heat.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  Rash decisions getting in the way of your better judgement, doofus!

  Dominic turned side to side, pointing in all directions, with his hand on the trigger. If his instincts were correct, Hunartheon warriors would be here any second. He lifted his nose to the air, scenting the foul odor. They’d descended on him a lot faster than first thought.

  “You there!” A garbled voice called after Dominic, then a pinging sound of something hitting the rocks beneath his feet. Before he could figure out what happened, he was thrown off his feet some yards by the force of whatever that small explosion was. Dominic could’ve activated some kind of landmine or trip wire, but he’d never know for sure.

  How the hell did they find out I was here?

  “Fuck! Merkin! Come in goddamn it.” Dominic yelled and grabbed his leg. Searing pain surged through his skin, making him feel as if his flesh was on fire. In bear form, he could easily self-repair, but as a humanoid, it would take longer.

  Despite his cries for help, Dominic heard nothing.

  Where the hell are you Merkin?

  No one was at Dominic’s house to deactivate the STAT system. Why wasn’t the machine answering him?

  Dominic sensed the wound closing but that didn’t stop the pain.

  A large number of footsteps sounded, meaning he’d been surrounded by the Hunartheon warriors.

  “Halt soldiers. Just who I wanted to see.”

  That voice.

  Dominic ignored his discomfort to look up. He smiled and held up his hands. Instead of fighting, he would surrender. Who knows what he could get his former bed partner to do. “Hey uh, Cogo. Are you a little sore at me for not giving in to the sloppy seconds?”

  The lizard mutant gurgled and licked his lips. He appeared to be in half man, half beast form, but only one of those hands held a gun. “More than, beast. But I got what I wanted and then some.” Cogo grinned and jabbed the gun to Dominic’s temple.

  Dominic wondered what that last part meant. Was Cogo speaking of this secret mission? No, he couldn’t be because this fiend was already gone before he got out of the shower.

  “Yes, it’s true. And while you washed the remnants of our fuck session away, I reprogrammed your STAT.”

  Dominic’s eyebrows furrowed and his mouth dropped open. Weren’t the Hunartheons supposed to be dumb aliens? “Shit! How the hell did you…”

  Cogo lifted another gun from one of his pockets, aiming it at Dominic’s chest. “I really should shoot you for thinking that, but you’re much too pretty to harm. I still wish to have my way with you before I turn you in to the Federation.”

  Fuck.

  Dominic gasped at the thought. The Federation was short for the G-Force Federation of gargoyles, known protectors of the universe. Being caught by them might as well have been a death sentence within itself. Perhaps Dominic could use his best assets to talk Cogo out of it.

  “Hey, we can settle this the nice way, all right? No need to get hostile.” Dominic grimaced and gritted his teeth, still feeling the discomfort. Now that same hurt traveled from his leg to his thigh. Whatever was in that explosion, it wasn’t going away easily.

  “Hostile?” The monster gurgled as did the other warriors. “You sneak onto our planet when you are prohibited As and we’re supposed to welcome you with open arms?”

  “No, but…�
��

  “Silence, beast. I had a feeling you Gocarians weren’t to be trusted. I’d told my captain as much, but he didn’t believe me. Now, I’ve got the proof I needed to show I was right.” He smirked, not moving the gun. “Jolian, Tartus, put him in the cage.”

  “Cage? No!” As two Hunartheons grabbed him, Dominic’s eyes bulged and sweat poured from his brow. Dominic’s biggest fear was being caged. Gocarians used tiny ones that wouldn’t allow them to shift as punishment. This being seemed to want to do the same, making Dominic panic. If only he could self-heal himself to get away.

  Maybe…

  When Dominic attempted to shift, the burning sensation increased under his flesh. He gnashed his teeth together and grimaced, trying to fight the discomfort. “What the hell did you do to me?” Dominic struggled against the mutants hold, but to no avail. He was powerless.

  “Oh, I gave you something to weaken you.” He smiled and lifted both guns over his shoulders. “He’ll make a great pet for me until I turn him in.”

  “Pet? I’m not...I’m-—” As Dominic tried to speak, he sensed himself getting sleepy. Everything around him appeared blurry. He could no longer feel his limbs or hear himself breathe. Eventually Dominic’s eyes got heavy and he couldn’t defend himself against the fiend who threw him over his shoulder. “I...I…”

  Dominic could barely form words. In a matter of moments, everything went black.

  Renard

  “Finally, here, girl!” Renard spoke aloud as they descended onto Megiddo’s landing pad. When it touched down, Renard grimaced and jolted from the small impact of the craft making contact with the ground. Not that it was a major hardship, but still annoying considering the newer ships had little to no sound or movement during the landing.