Trian's Spark

by T. Cobbin

  The noise in the room was raising to an astronomical level. How could anyone even hear their own voice? Trian didn’t want to add his own voice to the ruckus, but he needed to stop the noise. Hover caught his eye and grimaced.

  “Computer, give me a high-pitched, single-tone note that will mildly irritate a humanoid’s eardrums for the count of three,” Trian ordered before quickly placing his fingers in his ears.

  Hover, seeing his captain, copied his actions and placed his own fingers in his ears.

  Trian grimaced at the sound reverberating around the room. Every single person in the room clapped their hands over their ears. Counting to three, Trian withdrew his fingers to hear nothing but silence.

  Striding further into the med bay, he grabbed a translator device off a male doctor and held it up. “You wanna understand me?”

  All the women looked at him as if he were mad. Walking over to the nearest aware female, he mimicked hearing and being confused. He pressed the device under his own ear, and then pretended he could hear and understand. In a suggestive move, he asked the redheaded female if he could do the same to her. He was relieved when she nodded in agreement. He pushed her long, red hair away from her ear, placed the device on her skin, and pressed the button. She screwed her face up for a second before looking at him.

  “Do you understand me now?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

  “What is your name, pretty female?”

  “My name is Cherry. Where are we? What are we—”

  “Hold your questions for a moment. Can you tell the other females what this is please, and ask them if the doctors can insert a translator into each of them, so I may tell all of you at the same time what is happening?”

  Cherry nodded, then proceeded to inform the other females in the room what Trian had just said and done. Trian handed the doctor the device he’d taken from him. After a few moments, all the aware females were allowing the medics to insert the translators. Again, the noise in the room started to elevate, with the women wanting answers.

  “If you remain quiet a moment, I will tell you what we know,” Trian shouted while gazing around the room at the females. “Can you all understand me?”

  Each woman nodded.

  His gaze was drawn to a female with long, purple hair sitting on a medical bed, looking around the room and taking everything in. She had bright green eyes, the shade of his home’s sky when the sun had raised at mid-day. Her top teeth were biting into her plump, pink, bottom lip. Glancing quickly down her body, Trian took in her curvaceous shape. She was stunning. When her gaze turned to him, he could hardly find his next breath. Her green eyes didn’t swirl like his kind. Instead, they were still and had a tiny, circular pattern around a small, black dot.

  “Captain?” Hover asked.

  With annoyance, Trian turned to his head medic. He wanted to view the woman longer.

  “Yes,” he snapped unprofessionally. Trian could feel his energy spiking and knew he had to calm down. “Sorry, Hover. What is it you need?”

  “I was just coming to inform you that we have twenty-two females and all but five are aware. One fainted when Sharpie touched her, and the other four have yet to awake.”

  Trian stared at his head medic for a few moments. He’d known Hover for many cycles, so he knew the man was holding something back from him. But instead of delving deeper, Trian nodded and turned back to the room of women who were waiting for answers. He would deal with Hover after.

  In a loud voice, Trian addressed the room. “I am Trian. I’m the captain of the Gemorph, the ship you are currently on. I, as well as the men and the other few women aboard this ship, are a race called the Gracians. We are a friendly bunch. What I mean by that…” Trian added, seeing some of the strange looks on the female faces that shouted yeah, all right, but why are we on your ship and not back home? “...is we mean no one harm.” He paused and smiled. “We know you have been taken from your planet involuntarily. The men who took you are brothers. They’re from a species called the Lesh. They’re known for seizing females to sell as slaves for a sum of dragnoid.”

  “You mean money?” Cherry asked.

  “If money is your currency, then yes.”

  At this revelation, two women broke into tears. Two medics rushed over to them and scanned each one, making sure they were okay.

  “I can’t apologize enough for your situation, but being you have seen us and the Lesh, we were unsure if to return you home or not. Based on what we have learned, this isn’t always a good thing.” Trian waited a moment for the females to absorb this information.

  Cherry spoke up again. “Our people haven’t gotten past the moon, let alone seen aliens. There’s always been speculation about it, but as of yet, the government or no one has ever spoken out.” She looked glum. “I guess we’re the first to visit aliens.”

  Trian didn’t think this particular group of females had been the first. If the Lesh had spoken true words, and they had been making dragnoid selling the women from the blue and green planet, then there would be more of these females out there in the many universes. From the information Trian had read that Basup had compiled it would seem the Kopla brothers had been coming to this planet for years.

  “So, what are you going to do with us?” a short-haired female with dark skin asked.

  “It isn’t our intention to keep anyone against their will. Until we can deem it safe for you to return to your world, we will find you clean quarters where you can rest comfortably. Some of my officers will show you how to work the consoles for food and liquid refreshment, and of course, show you how to use the facilities. I cannot promise to send you home right now, and for that I am sorry.”

  Women started to cry, and some began shouting, causing the room’s noise to rise again.

  Chapter 4

  The purple-haired female that Trian had been admiring earlier stood and shouted at the top of her voice, gaining the attention of the room. “Hey! Give this man and his people a chance. You could have woken in those damn sci-fi cages like Jane and I. We could be on our way with those four-armed dudes to be sold into slavery.” She looked at Trian. “You aren’t going to do that, right?”

  “No, miss. My crew doesn’t work that way. In fact, I have vowed from this day forward, as long as I am captain, that we will be protecting your planet from any more slavers. The females on your planet will be safe.”

  “If we choose not to stay on your ship but can’t return home, what happens then?” she asked.

  “Then we will find a safe place for you to start your lives over. But when my fellow Gracians receive our message that their help is needed to keep safeguarding your women, our species may want to contact your people at some point to let them know we are here.”

  The female’s eyebrows rose in a comical fashion. “Our government?”

  “If they are your leaders, then yes.” Trian watched the purple-haired vision look at the women in the room and then back to him. The expression on her face wasn’t one he could put words to. “We aren’t here to start a war, or to kidnap any females such as you have been,” he said, feeling as if he needed to stress how his people were different from the Lesh. “We only want to…get to know your people.” And to see if any more sparks are amongst the planet’s females. But Trian decided not to share that information.

  The purple-haired female turned back to her small group. “Give them a chance, ladies? They haven’t hurt us yet.”

  “I want to go home,” a woman wailed. Another joined in. Trian watched as both the tearful females were comforted by others.

  “I know you do,” the purple-haired female said, trying to placate the women. “But you know damn well what would happen if we were to return home and tell our stories.”

  “We won’t say anything.” The first woman who had cried spoke up again.

  The female Trian was watching avidly moved to the front of the room, standing near him. If he was to breathe in deeply, he was sure he cou
ld scent her. What would she smell like? Why did he want to know? Because with her being so close to him, his cock was already hard and reaching for the sky.

  “How hard would it be to keep quiet, to not even tell your best friend or a family member what happened here today? Even if we were to join together and tell our stories, we’d have maybe five minutes of fame, or we’d end up in a loony bin, or even hidden out of sight by the government until we told them all we know.”

  Not one female spoke out.

  “Not only that, if they do contact our leaders, then these men will need our help. You know what our people are like.” She glanced at Trian with sad eyes, then looked back to the women. “And, come on! Have you seen the size of these men? Resisting them, kicking and screaming, isn’t going to help,” she said with a comical tone to her voice.

  Trian was about to defend his men and tell the women that not one of his crew would hurt any of them, but then he saw most of the females in the room nod, and some even smiled as their gazes roamed over each man in the room, including him. He also noted not one of the females that were standing were as tall as his warriors.

  “What is your name?” he asked the purple-haired woman.

  “Amelia. Amelia Heart.”

  Her name sung to his soul. Trian hadn’t touched this woman, but for some reason, he found his heart and erection beating like the Gemorph’s engine. Sure and steady. She wasn’t like their females, who were long and lean. Amelia was all…luscious. She had mouth-watering curves. He had been surprised at first when his cock swelled in his pants. Now it ached like a female virka from his planet in heat. Could this female be his spark? No. He shook his head, pushing that thought from it. He couldn’t think like that now. Perhaps he should just call on a sex bot later to see if he could fuck it and release some of his energy. His cock deflated at that thought.

  “Well, Amelia Heart, I thank you for calming the situation.” Trian turned his attention to Hover. “Make sure all the females are well. Once we have set up an area for them to rest in, I’ll send men to escort them. For now, I’ll place security at the doors. No man is to enter unless they are seriously unwell.”

  Hover nodded. “What of Sharpie and his spark?” Hover asked quietly so no one else heard. Both men looked over at the officer and female who was still unconscious in the corner.

  “Give them privacy. From what I know, if she is his spark, once she wakes, they will both need it.” Aboard the Gemorph they hadn’t had a female in heat for many a century, but Trian had made sure he knew what would happen in case he or his crew ever came across their sparks. “Do you know what the mating heat entails?” Trian asked, half-knowing his head medic would know the answer.

  Hover nodded. “I made a point of knowing, just in case any of us ever came upon our females.”

  “Okay then, make sure they have that privacy if needed. If the female becomes aware and doesn’t go into mating heat, then please make sure she is escorted back to the other women.”

  Hover nodded again.

  Trian continued, “But more than likely, if her iungo is growing, they will need some privacy as she is his mate. Make sure both Sharpie and his spark are well monitored for future reference. We will need to know if this species is able to endure our energy during sex.”

  “I’ll keep you informed,” Hover promised.

  With one last look at the purple-haired female, Trian zapped back to the bridge.

  “Basup, where’s Iryano?” Trian had thought he might see his friend and second-in-command in the medical bay or back on the bridge. But he was absent in both areas.

  “Unsure, sir, I’ll find out.”

  Trian looked toward his security officer. “Ausk, we need a security rota of four men a shift outside the medical bay until we know where the females are to go. Add more if trouble occurs. I want a meeting with the complete crew in the hanger before next meal.”

  “Yes, sir,” he replied.

  “Koop.” Trian called on his deck officer next. “Find a common room big enough to put twenty-two beds in, with facilities. Actually no, find me eleven cabins instead.”

  Koop nodded and got to it. The bridge officers often had a room each, but the lower-ranked crew on the ship shared a cabin with someone. But with the recent loss of men, Trian knew that there were more than enough cabins for the women to share—two in each one—until he could determine what was to happen to them.

  “Try to make sure the cabins are on one level. Move men if needed. Keep the females together.” He was sure the women would be happier close together.

  “Sir,” Basup said. “I found Iryano. He’s in his quarters, but he isn’t answering to communications.”

  Without a word, Trian zapped to Iryano’s quarters. To appear in one’s quarters without being asked was plain rude and not allowed. But being Trian was captain and his first officer was refusing to answer hails, he decided to break the rules.

  Iryano’s room was a mess. Upturned tables, broken accessories, and damaged goods everywhere. It looked like a Hanish bull had stampeded through his friend’s cabin. Trian immediately knew that something was up. Iryano was always immaculate. Everything he owned had a place.

  Not seeing his friend in the living area, he called out. “Iryano?”

  “Frinx,” came a reply from Iryano’s bedroom.

  Unlike Trian, Iryano had taken the cabin meant for the first officer. Trian, instead of taking the captain’s cabin next to this room, had taken a smaller, single-bed cabin. He spent more of his time working than sleeping so didn’t think it was worthwhile moving into the captain’s cabin.

  “Trian, why did you come looking for me. Go away! I’ll be there next shift.”

  Trian could hear pain in his friend’s voice. Had one of the Kopla brothers injured him? Trian walked into the bedroom to find his first officer on his knees by his bed, his chin touching his chest. He looked defeated. Rushing over to Iryano, he touched a hand to the man’s shoulder only for it to be shrugged off.

  “Are you injured?” Trian asked.

  “No! Just leave.” A wave of anger, frustration, and lust was released by Iryano. When highly emotional, Gracians often discharged a wave of energy that others could feel. Trian wondered why Iryano was feeling lust amongst his emotions.

  “No. I need to know what’s wrong with you. Your cabin is trashed, and you’re kneeling on the floor when you’re supposed to be on duty.”

  As he finished his sentence, something clicked inside Trian’s brain. This had to do with the females who had just transported onto the ship. Not waiting for his friend to answer, Trian walked into Iryano’s living area and pressed a button on his communicator.

  “Hover, report.”

  “Hover here, Captain.”

  “Besides Sharpie, did any other males zap an unconscious female into medical?”

  “Yes, sir, four.”

  “Was one of them Iryano?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Was this the something you were holding back earlier?” Trian asked as everything formed in his mind.

  “Yes, sir. Sorry. It wasn’t for me to say at the time.”

  Trian glanced toward Iryano’s sleeping area. He could remember the day Iryano returned to their home world from his very first trip into space. With Iryano’s father dying in battle, it was left to Iryano to protect and care for his mother. Trian vowed to help as they both went up through their warrior’s ranks until they embarked upon their first space travel. They hadn’t been out more than a yarn cycle when the call came through that any Gracians near the home planet were to report home. What they found at Iryano’s home was devastation. They also discovered that Iryano’s mother had been amongst their fallen females. Trian watched with a heavy heart as his friend went through such heartache that day, and for many yarns after.

  Iryano had vowed that day he would never take a mate. He couldn’t watch another female that he was supposed to protect die because he couldn’t safeguard her.

  “Is the fema
le aware?” Trian asked Hover.

  “No, sir. I didn’t know why she was unconscious at first, but when I scanned her I discovered that she too has a iungo growing at the nape of her neck, just like Sharpie’s spark. Sharpie’s spark is comfortable at the moment as long as he keeps iungo-to-iungo contact. But the female Iryano brought in is becoming weak.”

  Trian growled low. Iryano had found his spark, and he was letting her wilt away as she lay in a medical bed.

  Hover continued. “The fact that they both have the iungo growing is amazing.”

  Trian touched his own iungo on his middle finger with his thumb, one he’d feed his infant or connect with his female with.

  “Has Sharpie’s female become aware yet?”

  “No, sir. As long as Sharpie has his hands on her, she remains stable. When he withdraws at request to see what happens, her energy levels become unstable. But her iungo is nearly complete. She should wake soon.”

  “Thank you. Please place the female Iryano brought aboard the ship into a side room. I’m sure he’ll be along soon.”

  “Yes, sir. I hope he won’t be taking too long?”

  Trian could hear the question on the medic’s tongue. He decided to cut off any questions for now, until he had a word with his second-in-command. “If anything changes, please inform me. Have the other females settled?”

  “Some are still distressed, but we and the others are taking care of them.”

  “Thank you. Trian out.”

  With a sigh, Trian headed into Iryano’s bedroom. He needed to get this sorted asap. He was needed on the bridge. Walking over to his friend’s bed, he sat on the edge. Trian could feel his own energy spiking inside of himself. He was angry that Iryano had a spark he was refusing to help or see when Trian himself needed one so badly. But he was also pleased that his second-in-command had found his mate and would no longer fear flaring.

  “Iryano,” Trian said and watched his friend raise his head from his chest. The defeated look in his eyes was dooming. “This is different,” Trian simply said. Iryano wasn’t stupid, and he knew Trian wasn’t either.