Worlds Collide

by J. L. Hendricks

  Next on my list was heading to the cells to take inventory of job skills. For the most part, I was looking forward to this. However, there were a few people I wasn’t looking forward to speaking with. I started with my least favorite person, so that the task could only get better from there.

  “Rachelle, have you received your implant yet?” I knew she wasn’t scheduled until later, but I wanted to see what she had to say. Maybe things had changed.

  “No, I wanted to wait and make sure that it was safe before I signed up.” She sniffed. “I’m on the list for next week.” She shrugged one shoulder like it was no big deal.

  “That’s good. I’m here today to take a list of names and job skills. The outpost needs certain positions filled right away. Then they will match the rest up to roles they could use help with. Have you ever sewn anything?” A part of me was glad she was stuck her for another week and wouldn’t be able to interfere with Zelan and me.

  “Me? No, I’m not a “Susy-homemaker” kind of girl. I am meant for management. My last job was in a bank and I was on the fast track to becoming the youngest bank manager in history.” She straightened her shoulders and her haughty look appeared once again. Something she had mastered.

  “Huh, well, we don’t use money on this planet. Everyone works hard and gets to use the services for free. I’ll put down that you are good with counting. That might be a skill set they can use.” I wasn’t going to put customer service. I could tell she would only provide good customer service to those she wanted something from.

  I made my way around the room until lunch time and took a break with Zelan. He came to the holding cells to get me which caused a bit of a stir with Rachelle. “Oh Zelan, is it time for our lunch? I’m looking forward to spending more time with you today.” She sidled up as close as she could to the cell bars nearest him and his veins pulsed a bit of orange before he calmed himself. Then his veins went to green.

  “Rachelle, for the last time, I am taken. Natalie is my mate. I have no interest in anyone else. Please stop trying to get my attention, it only makes you look bad.” He walked past her and straight to me. What he did next caused quite a stir. He took me in his arms and gave me a kiss that caused my knees to go weak. I dropped my pad and pencil when he grabbed me. If he hadn’t been holding me so tightly against his body, I might have fallen to the ground.

  I heard the catcalls from the guys in the room, and even a few girls were whispering and giggling. Oh well, I guess the cat was out of the bag now. “Hello to you too, Zelan.” I said as I tried to get my feet under me again.

  “I missed you, Natalie.” He whispered in my ear. Then he said a bit louder, “Are you ready for our lunch date?”

  I smiled up to him and said, “Yes, let’s go.” I grabbed his hand after I picked up my fallen notepad and pencil, and we walked out of the room. Men were still whistling and some of the girls said things like, “You go girl!” Another said, “That’s the kind of man I want.” I tuned them out and focused on Zelan as we headed to lunch.

  “Ok mister, what was that display of affection for? I didn’t see any warriors in there who were ogling me. So why do that?” I looked up at him with pursed lips, and one eyebrow raised.

  “To make sure those women knew I was taken. Sometimes it isn’t all about you.” He winked at me and my heart thudded loudly.

  What do you say to something like that? I didn’t have a response, so I kept my eyes forward and thought about what he said. Sometimes, I could be a bit ethnocentric. The world didn’t revolve around me, and I knew this. However, it was always good to get a reminder.

  Zelan had to have had more than one other admirer. I could only imagine how rotten it was for him to fend off women if they were anything like Rachelle. I only hoped there weren’t any alluring women who wanted Zelan.

  We went to his room where he had laid out sandwiches. It was an impressive spread. The ham and swiss looked wonderful, so I chose that. It was fairly quiet, and I started to get nervous. Even though I enjoyed being alone with him, I didn’t want anything to happen between us yet. His nearness affected me more than I wanted to admit and my breathing still hadn’t gone back to normal after that kiss.

  “Zelan, do you really think it’s safe for us to live here?” I know, it was a major change in topic, but it was something that had been on my mind since the attack the other day.

  “Of course, it is. We will make it even safer with all the upgrades. The Commander mentioned the other day that we are in the process of obtaining a new satellite, remember?”

  “Yes, but isn’t it like five months away from here?” I put my sandwich down and looked up at Zelan with furrowed brow. Waiting five months for the protection the new satellite would provide was worth it, but it wouldn’t do us any good until it actually arrived, which was five months away. So why did he think it would make a difference now?

  “Actually, it is less than a month away. There is another settlement that makes the satellites. This one we have coming was intended for another planet, but since we have these issues now, the President re-routed it to us as soon as he heard about the attack.” He took a bite of his sandwich.

  Then he continued, “This satellite will allow us to scan the planet for technology and advanced life-forms. We are also worried about finding any other ships that the bugs may have sent here. I think our first concern is finding that crashed ship of theirs and destroying it. Then, we need to find any mutant cockroaches that survived, or were hatched here, and destroy them.”

  “Will the satellite do anything else for us?” I hoped it had some defensive capabilities as well.

  “It does help with detecting ships that enter this solar system. We will have a better view of anyone who tries to come here again. There is also a communication node inside that will help us to communicate from anywhere on this planet using our universal translators.” He paused before continuing and sighed.

  “They will, of course have to be synced to the satellite’s software. However, you should know, that it will also be able to track our movements. It isn’t so much of a tracking tool, as a communication tool. I know you don’t want to be tracked, but it could be helpful in finding you if you ever get lost, or something happens to you. Or anyone for that matter.” He cupped my cheek and rubbed his thumb across my cheekbone, which sent chills down my entire body.

  I heaved a heavy sigh. “I understand why you think that is important. Us humans are going to have trouble with being tracked, it’s a bit too 1984 for us.”

  “1984? Isn’t that a year from your planet’s history? What does that have to do with this conversation?” He scratched his chin after taking a bite of his sandwich.

  “That was a book written a long time ago by an author who predicted that our governments would take control of our lives and watch our every move. Since then, we have seen a lot of that happening. Many of our personal freedoms have been violated because of the watchful eyes of our governments. Sometimes it really is for the betterment of all people, but sometimes it is just the government flexing its muscle.” I took a small bite of my sandwich.

  “There was a scandal not long ago about the government actively reading our emails, and listening to our cell phone calls. Now granted, if we had nothing to hide, then it shouldn’t have mattered. But, some of those messages were very personal. People don’t like it when strangers listen to their intimate communications.” I wiped my mouth and took a drink of water.

  “The idea of that listening program was a good one, but it turned out to be a huge nightmare for our government and her allies. We want our anonymity. The ability to move about and communicate without someone watching us has always been very important. We call it “Big Brother.” You know, the guy who is always looking over your shoulder at everything you’re doing? As a people, we don’t like it.”

  “I see. We have a lot of freedom, but no one actively listens to our communications or reads our messages. Although, in theory, it is possible that someone could do it. We jus
t don’t do that. The only people who are ever tracked are slaves who run away.” He looked down at his plate.

  “Um, well. Why don’t we turn our conversation to something a bit lighter? What time are we leaving tonight? I still have more people to interview.” I put my sandwich down as I had lost my appetite.

  “We will be on the 1900 flight back to the colony. I hope that helps you to schedule the rest of your afternoon?” He quirked his lips and I could feel the tension leaving us both as we switched the topic.

  “Yes. Zelan that will work fine for my schedule. I hope I can spend the majority of my day tomorrow in the office working on setting it all up and getting used to the computers you use. I like the idea of them, but they are very different. So futuristic compared to what I’m used to.” Everything was moving so fast and work was already piling up. I had so much to do I felt like I needed an assistant of my own. Once I had a chance to settle in, I was sure I’d feel more capable and organized. Or at least, I hoped I did.

  “Don’t worry, I will spend the morning with you and help you get up to speed. I am confident that you will catch on quickly.” He took my hand and pulled it to his lips and kissed the back of it. When he pulsed purple, I relaxed and enjoyed the rest of our meal.

  The next few days flew by. I picked up on the computer quickly, just like Zelan said I would. They were really cool too! You could choose between reading on the tablet, or bringing up the 3D display. Since I loved the idea of using a new interface, I always chose the 3D display, except for when I was around others. Then I used the tablet for privacy. It was light weight and compact and easy to carry around. It reminded me of my iPad Pro I had back home.

  There was a book bag that held the tablet and a few other supplies in it perfectly. I used that to carry it around whenever I wasn’t in the office. The Commander expected me to have it on me at all times, so I never went anywhere without it.

  My relationship with Zelan was moving along very smoothly. He even brought me a flower yesterday morning when he came into the office. It was a hibiscus, just like the one someone left me after my procedure last week.

  As much as I enjoyed his attentions, I was still a bit leery. One day I was fine with being his mate. The next day all of the issues come to mind, and I found myself struggling with it again. That just meant I wasn’t ready. Thankfully, everyone had stopped pressuring me to accept him since we moved here.

  Chapter 16

  About a week after I moved to the settlement, Haver discovered what looked like wreckage from a ship in one of his reconnaissance missions. I heard it through the grapevine. No one could keep a secret here. Well, except for me. I was able to keep secrets from getting out when the Commander told me something in the strictest of confidence. But this news was spreading like wildfire all over the colony.

  I comm’d Zelan the second I walked away from the person who told me. “Zelan, is it true? Did you guys find the insectoid crashed ship?”

  “Wow, that didn’t take long. Who told you? Clarissa?”

  “No, it was Janice. I went to pick up some new shoes, and she was telling someone else in the clothing warehouse. I just left there.”

  “How did she hear it?”

  “No clue. So it’s true?” I couldn’t believe it. The fear of another attack had been getting to me at times. With this new information, we could eradicate the bugs and I could finally sleep well. I hadn’t told anyone, but one of the reasons I chose a bunk in the first bunkhouse I was shown was because I wanted to be with others in case of an attack. I figured there was safety in numbers and all that. Plus, these ladies all had more knowledge and experience on this planet than I did, and they would have known exactly what to do in a crisis.

  “Yes, Haver isn’t even back yet from the scouting mission. We are getting together tonight to plan an attack for first light tomorrow. I am hoping to use the sun as part of our attack.”

  “So, that means no date tonight?” We had been out every night since we moved here. If I was honest with myself, I would agree to marry him, but I was too stubborn to give in so soon.

  “I am sorry, but I won’t be able to see you tonight. Can we reschedule for tomorrow night? After we are finished, I will have to debrief everyone, but then I will be free for dinner, at least. Can we make plans?”

  He sounded so sad. I wished there was something I could do for him, but this was his job and he had to do it. “Are your veins pulsing blue right now?”

  He chuckled. “How did you know?”

  “Because, I’m in tune with you and your emotions. I feel the same way. As much as I want to see you tonight, I know your job is very important, and this discovery is too big to put off. You have to attack right away. I’ll be here waiting for your safe return.” If I could have, my veins would have been pulsing blue in time with his, I just knew it. We had gotten very close very quickly. It scared me at times and at other times I felt loved and wanted. And dare I say … needed. Emotions Ben never instilled in me.

  I really needed to stop comparing Zelan to Ben. There was no comparison, Zelan was more of a man than Ben was, and Zelan’s an alien! How sad was that?

  That night Paris came to the colony, and she was going to spend the night. The Commander thought this mission was too important to stay away from. Even though he intended to let Zelan lead the planning and attack, he was going to be on the team.

  “Paris, do you want pancakes for dinner? You look sad. Maybe they will cheer you up like they do for me.” She was slowly walking with me to her apartment.

  They had set up a place here so that whenever either of them came over they had a place that was theirs. She hoped to see her husband, but knew that he would be out late, so she asked me to dinner.

  “Sorry, I’m not in the best of moods tonight. Venay has been working so hard that I have hardly seen him. Tonight was supposed to be a date night. Maybe tomorrow night we can stay here and have a special night on the town.” She shook her head and sighed.

  “Wow, you have it bad, don’t you?” I chuckled as I steered her away from the apartment and toward the pancake house.

  “Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess so. It’s just that he promised me a week away in the mountains once we got settled into the new ship. He hasn’t had the time to take off, and I really want that alone time. Did you know they have a spa, of sorts, up in the mountains here?” Her pain was evident in the way her eyes were downcast and the sadness coming through her voice.

  “Really? That sounds quite relaxing. Maybe after they destroy the ship you two can take off. It will make it much safer for you to go away. Right now, it isn’t safe on this planet to be anywhere, especially if it is just the two of you.”

  “I know. I guess I’m being a bit melodramatic. Pancakes for dinner sounds decadent. Let’s do it.” She seemed a bit more upbeat as we made our way to the restaurant.

  Once we were settled at a corner booth, and had received our order, the first words out of Paris’ mouth were, “Oh my word! You were right about these. I know where I am going whenever I need a little taste of home.”

  “I told you they were great!” We spent a couple of hours there chatting with everyone.

  The news about the upcoming mission was all anyone could talk about. It was well past closing time when we left the place. They normally closed much earlier, but with so many who wanted to stay and discuss the impending attack tomorrow, the manager kept it open.

  On this planet they had a 25 hour day, and they used military time, which meant it was past 2400 when we left for home.

  The extra hour was interesting. We still slept about seven hours a night, but with an extra hour in the day, people seemed to be a bit more productive. School for the kids ended on a normal time. With the extra hour they were able to get homework done and have time to play with their friends.

  Workers split the time. A typical work day here had an extra thirty minutes. Since no one walked more than thirty minutes to work, they all had a well-rounded day. More time was spent with family
and friends.

  Once I was back in my bunk I couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was Zelan and his mission. In order to keep sane, I thought about plans for the next week. During the week I had been here, I discovered some more fun things to do. Once the mission was over, I was going to make reservations for Zelan and me to play mini-golf one night next week. He didn’t know it yet, but he was going to get a typical Earth date soon.

  There was a BBQ planned and a dance the following week that I hoped to be able to attend as well. It really was the best of both worlds here. My aim was to get Zelan to fall in love with the colony and decide to stay here with me. I fell asleep planning how I was going to arrange it.

  ◊◊◊

  The next day I woke up early. My body knew where it needed to be, no sleeping in for me. it was desperate to be somewhere I could get up to date information.

  Since I was the Commander’s assistant, I was allowed entry into the command center for the mission.

  When I walked into the command center, I suddenly stopped from the shock of who I saw in the room and had to remember to not let my emotions show on my face. “Good morning, Captain. I’m surprised to see you here and not on the mission with the rest of the warriors.” Captain Mypo seemed like a very able captain so I was stunned she wasn’t chosen to go on this mission.

  “It was deemed best for someone of my rank to stay here and protect the settlement in case of any issues. While I would have preferred to go on this mission, I understand how dangerous it is to leave my colony unprotected.” She went back to monitoring the comm channel as the ship approached the site. “Take a seat, Natalie, and watch how effective our warriors are at destroying the enemy.”

  A chill went down my spine as she spoke. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I watched the screen on the wall. Some of the warriors wore helmet cams. I was going to be able to watch them as they attacked the ship. No one told me they had this type of equipment. Although, I shouldn’t have been surprised, even Earth forces had them.