by Stella Cassy
Another option was Raal. The Raalii had a number of formidable natural resources that they utilized in the production of their spaceships, but their vessels tended to be smaller and were nowhere near large enough to support my crew or my slaves.
I thought about purchasing a vessel of Brigadeen make. The quality of their spacecrafts had improved considerably in the last century, but Brigadar was situated far into the middle of the galaxy. It would require at least five revolutions and seven jumps to reach.
When I got to the entrance of my quarters, I pushed the button that slid open my door and walked in to find that Yvette was awake. She was standing in front of the viewing windows, staring out at the midnight darkness. Her hands were crisscrossed, folded around her body as though she were cold. The fire was blazing away in the hearth, so I knew that if she was feeling cold, it had nothing to do with the temperature.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
Yvette turned to me with faraway eyes. I had obviously caught her in a moment of deep contemplation. “I’m feeling… strange,” she admitted after a small pause.
Frowning, I walked over to her and searched her face. “Strange?” I repeated.
“I don’t know,” Yvette said. “It’s just been a difficult few days.”
I nodded, unable to speak.
“Is everything ok?” Yvette asked, her eyes grazing over my face.
“Yes,” I nodded. “It’s just—”
I trailed off but Yvette nodded with understanding as though my explanation were unnecessary. “I know,” she said. “It takes a long time to process. I’m afraid it won’t feel real for some time, not until you start to accept your new reality.”
She was right, I realized. Nothing felt real. It was like I was standing on shaky ground and waiting to wake up. I moved closer to her and I noticed she angled her body towards me as well. I wondered if she even noticed or if it was merely an instinctive response.
“How long did it take you?” I asked. “To accept your new reality?”
Yvette smiled. “Honestly… it comes and goes. Just when you think you’ve accepted it, something happens and you get pulled back in with fresh pain. When I was in Servos Scholarm, I used to wake up and not have any recollection of where I was. I used to think I was still on Earth. Then I’d turn and see the other girls. I’d see their black collars and the scars that ran up and down their arms and legs and it would all come back to me.”
“Did you know the attack was coming?” I asked.
“There had been talk of alien invasion for decades,” Yvette admitted. “Humanity has always stubbornly clung to the belief that we’re the only intelligent life force in the galaxy. But things kept happening on Earth… abductions, strange sightings, unexplained phenomena. It started making people nervous.”
“Then one day, the power grid in Beijing, China completely blew out… phone lines, internet… everything completely shut down. It was like they were completely cut off from the rest of the world.”
“China?” I asked.
“Earth is made up of continents,” Yvette explained. “Each continent has countries. China is one of them and Beijing is its capital city. It’s far from the country I was born in, but we’re all connected through trade. For three days no one knew what had happened there. Later, the Chinese government confirmed that Beijing had been attacked, half the city had been destroyed, thousands had been killed and hundreds had been taken away by aliens.”
Yvette looked down and shook her head. “No one believed them.”
I raised my eyebrows. “No one?”
“Some did,” she conceded. “But no one with any real power. Most other governments believed that it was the work of the Chinese mafia. They thought the alien excuse was just a far-fetched ruse to try and keep international intervention at bay. Like I said, the majority of humanity is too proud and stubborn to believe that we aren’t the only ones in the universe.”
The idea of not believing in other planets or species seemed like the height of stupidity to me, but Earth had always been somewhat removed from the rest of the galaxy. I tried not to be too unkind for Yvette’s sake.
“But you were prepared,” I pointed out, keeping my opinions over Earth’s oversights to myself.
“Because the mayor of my city was one of the few who was fearful that the alien threat was real,” Yvette said. “And as it turned out… he was right. Mere months after the Beijing incident, New York was cut off from the rest of the world too. It was a Pax tactic – a strategy to sow confusion, distrust and panic before they attacked. No one saw them coming until it was too late.”
“Your planet confuses me,” I admitted. “You have no kings or commanders?”
“We do,” Yvette said. “Some countries are ruled by kings and others are governed by elected officials.”
“Elected officials?” I repeated.
“Men or women who are chosen by the people to lead them,” Yvette said. “But it’s a temporary position. They cannot stay in power for more than eight years. It varies from country to country.”
“It’s a confusing system,” I said.
Yvette almost smiled. “It can be,” she nodded. “To me it’s just… normal.”
“Do you miss Earth?” I asked, before I could stop myself.
“All the time,” Yvette nodded. “Every day, it is a wound that never heals.”
I reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist. She walked into the circle of my arms and rested her head against my chest. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. She started stroking the bruised scale of a wound I had taken to my left arm.
“Does it hurt?” she asked without looking up at me.
“I barely notice it,” I said. “It will be healed in a few days.”
“Is it true that Drakon have regenerative abilities?” Yvette asked.
“We heal faster than other species,” I shrugged. “But a wound is still a wound; it requires time to heal. Our wounds can kill us just the same as everyone else’s.”
Yvette kept stroking my arm and I closed my eyes and surrendered myself to the beautiful warmth of her touch. It was a dark time for my people, but in this stolen moment, in this tiny pocket in a vast and vengeful galaxy, I found some small measure of peace.
I hooked one claw underneath her chin and pushed her face up to meet my own. Her eyes were clear, limpid pools that I could see my reflection in. I bent down and kissed her softly, until I had forgotten where we were, where we were going and what we had fled from.
25
Yvette
Ranel’s wounds had healed well over the last six days. His burgundy scales were a pale, slightly marred pink where the scale had torn away, but I could already see scabs of fresh, hard scale start to form. He barely tended to his wounds, so I usually did.
I longed for our evenings now. We had fallen into a comfortable routine and I hated to admit it out loud, but there was a certain air of domesticity about it. I had freedom of the ship, a luxury I had never been afforded before. It appeared that the rest of the crew had been informed of my newly elevated status because despite the subtle stares I received, all of them left me alone.
I split my days between the nursery and the medical wing and for the first time in a long time, I felt as though my life had a purpose. The Drakon hatchlings awaited my presence each morning and I had even befriended a young Drakon named Uril in the medical wing where I spent most of my evenings.
By unspoken agreement, I spent my nights with Ranel in his chambers. Some days I beat him there and sometimes I would walk in to find him sitting by the fireplace or staring into the black abyss of space. Last night however, I had walked into an empty chamber and fallen asleep before Ranel had arrived. Then this morning I had awoken to the smell of Brynor skin and spiced milk.
Ranel poured me a glass of the spiced milk and I accepted it gratefully as my stomach rumbled greedily. “Thank you,” I said.
“You were sound asleep when I walked in yesterd
ay,” Ranel said.
“I don’t know why I’m so tired lately,” I admitted.
“I’m sure the hatchlings are not easy to take care of.”
I smiled. “I love spending time with them,” I said. “And Horick has really bonded with Natalie and Dashel’s young ones.”
“His parents?” Ranel asked.
I sighed. “We still don’t know which ship they’re on,” I admitted. “Or if they made it onto a ship in the first place. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we locate them soon. For now, he seems to be doing well.”
“Good,” Ranel said distractedly.
“How are the coms repairs going?” I asked.
“Slowly,” Ranel said through gritted teeth. “It feels strange… being disconnected from the whole fleet, stuck on someone else’s ship.”
I could tell that the loss of the Wyvern had been particularly hard for him. It was as though his identity had been tied to the ship and now he was struggling with who he was without it.
He took a piece of dry Brynor skin and chewed on it absentmindedly. The skin was oddly spicy but I liked it because it had a slightly nostalgic vibe that reminded me of jerky. Today however, my stomach turned at the thought of eating the tough meat. I sipped on the milk instead, allowing my palette to get used to the punchy flavor.
“You’ll find another ship,” I said.
“It won’t be the Wyvern.”
“It’ll be better,” I said.
“Yvette?”
I liked the way he said my name. He didn’t use it often, but when he did, I felt my skin tingle with a strange kind of electricity.
“Yes?”
“Dashel has some strange objects in his solar,” Ranel said. “I think they’re from Earth. I wonder if you know their purpose.”
I smiled. “Describe them to me.”
He described the first item to me and I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s a hand mirror,” I told him. “It’s also called a looking glass… to see your face.”
“Why not use a large mirror?” Ranel asked.
“You can’t carry it around.”
“Why would you want to?” Ranel asked.
I paused. “It’s sort of an outdated item,” I admitted. “People used to use them a very long time ago. Now they’re merely… well some humans use them for novelty’s sake.”
Despite the fact that he seemed unsatisfied with my explanation, Ranel started to describe the second item that had caught his eye.
“Oh… it’s a brush,” I told him.
“Brush?”
“To comb our hair,” I explained, running my fingers through my dark roots. “To keep it neat and tidy.”
Ranel raised his eyebrows for a moment and then shook his head. “Humans are strange creatures. What does it matter if your hair is neat or not?”
I smiled. “I guess it doesn’t matter.”
Ranel’s expression was contorted into a creased frown, as though he were still trying to puzzle my species out.
“Why are you suddenly so curious about Earth?” I asked.
Ranel shrugged. “It’s where you’re from.”
As simply as he put it, I felt the importance behind his words. It touched me so deeply that moisture sprung to my eyes and I wiped them away hurriedly before Ranel noticed.
“How are your wounds?” I asked.
“Almost fully healed,” Ranel nodded. “You worry too much about them.”
“They look painful.”
Ranel observed the bruised scale with detachment. “I have suffered far worse in battle. I was lucky.”
I agreed with that. The medical wing was still teaming with the injured, some of whom showed no signs of recovery. Every day since we had left the burning remains of Thirren, Dashel and Ranel had been forced to perform what they referred to as black funerals. When a Drakon or slave succumbed to their wounds and died, their bodies were brought to a circular hatch at the back of the ship. The bodies were released through the hatch and then Ranel and Dashel stood and watched as space devoured the body within microns.
I had never been to a black funeral but Ranel had described it to me on the second night. I hadn’t been able to sleep at all for three nights after that.
“I stopped by the medical wing yesterday before retiring for the night,” Ranel told me. “It seems Uril has taken a shine to you.”
I smiled. “He’s a little rough around the edges,” I acknowledged. “But he does grow on you.”
“Do you know what they call you there?” Ranel asked.
I frowned. “They call me something?”
“They’ve named you ‘homina helasa’,” Ranel told me. “It means human healer.”
I smiled. “That’s not the kind of name I’ve gotten used to up here,” I admitted. “It’s a nice change.”
I finished my spiced milk and sighed with satisfaction. It had helped settle my stomach and I felt strong enough to face the rest of the day.
“How is our progress?” I asked.
“We’re making good time,” Ranel nodded. “We should make it to Nort two solars ahead of schedule.”
“That’s good,” I nodded, noticing the way Ranel’s brows were creasing every few seconds. I got to my feet and walked around the breakfast trolley to where he sat. I sat down on the arm of his chair and stroked his forehead gently. There were tiny scales that protruded out from his hairline. They were a light flecked burgundy that melted into his dark hair.
“Is something on your mind?” I asked. “You seem to be preoccupied. More so than usual.”
He turned his face up to meet mine. “Moddoc,” he replied.
“Moddoc?” I repeated. “Are you talking about the Drakon who was supposed to be in charge of communication between Thirren and the fleet?”
Ranel nodded. “I don’t trust him.”
“He made a mistake…”
“He doesn’t get to make mistakes like that,” Ranel growled. “He’s not aboard Gyygnar at all. He’s on Tarion’s ship.”
“At least he’s still with the fleet,” I pointed out.
“The others have turned a blind eye to his faults,” Ranel said. “They trust him simply because he is a Drakon.”
“Well then, share your concerns with them,” I said.
“I intend to,” Ranel nodded.
I kept massaging his forehead until his eyes closed. Then I leaned down and kissed his brow, his eyelids and his cheeks until I finally landed on his lips. I had grown confident in our newly found intimacy. Familiarity had crept into the space between our bodies and made everything simpler.
His lips responded immediately to mine and slowly I felt the rise of his erection against my thigh. He pulled me onto his lap and I adjusted my legs so that I was straddling him. His hands pushed up the soft white cloth of my night slip and I felt his rough hands against my belly. I felt a tingle of excitement spread through my body until it reached the wet area between my legs.
I was completely naked beneath my slip and Ranel took full advantage, traversing the lay of my body with eager zeal. Slowly, he pulled off my slip and threw it to the floor next to us. He took a moment to admire my breasts before slipping a nipple into his mouth. He was extremely gentle with me and I knew how much effort it was taking him to stay mindful despite his raging desires. There were moments when our lovemaking was rough and more often than not my cries were a strangled mix of pleasure and pain. But today, it was different. I could tell in the way Ranel caressed my body like I was the most fragile being in the universe.
I kissed the top of his head as he sucked on my nipple, making me cry out with pleasure. Feeling suddenly ravenous, I pushed his head away from my breasts and started to undo the tie-ups of his breeches. I pulled away the tough fabric to release his erect cock. With my heart drumming fast against my chest, I raised my hips and guided him inside me. That first moment of contact always made my head spin.
I raised and lowered my hips in gentle strokes as my body adjusted to accommodate his
immensity. He left a trail of kisses along my neck and collarbone as his hands stayed on my lower back and my hips, supporting my movements and giving me a little additional assistance when I slowed down.
We came together, with my hands wrapped around his shoulders and his claws scraping gently against my back. I felt the build of his release shudder through him, accompanied by his groan of pleasure and I felt something stir inside me. I had never been in love with anyone before, so it was hard for me to know exactly what it was I was feeling. I had nothing to compare it with.
“Ranel?” I asked softly, moving to lay on the bed beside him.
“Hmm?”
“Tell me about Harron.”
Ranel turned his head and looked at me with confusion. “You want to know about my husband?”
“Yes,” I nodded.
“Why?”
“I suppose the same reason you wanted to know about Earth,” I explained. “Harron is a part of who you are, and I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk about him.”
Ranel’s eyes grew distant for a moment, but then he focused on me and I saw a smile playing on the corners of his mouth.
“Very well,” he nodded.
He encircled me with his arms and I settled into the curve of his body. Hesitantly, Ranel started talking and I sat and listened to his story, as we fell back into his past together.
26
Ranel
“Tarion and Lehar’s ship will touch down on Nort a few solars before Gyygnar,” Dashel said, fixing me with his calm gaze.
The coms system on Gyygnar had been fixed for the most part and we had managed to make contact with most of the fleet. There were a few spaceships that were still unaccounted for but Dashel seemed confident that they would figure out a way to send us a message about their location.