V: Paradise Found

“Look. We’re here.”

Adrien had lost track of time. It seemed to not exist with Mor’an. It was a silly concept for a woman like her, but she couldn’t deny that that’s how she felt.

She came over to the control panel when Mor’an called her. She was once more in the comfortable shorts they had had their first encounter in, tank sitting snug against her body. Adrien had come to realize that Mor’an enjoyed seeing lots of skin – and though they hadn’t been intimate again aside from softly stolen kisses, that didn’t stop Mor’an’s eyes from openly wondering.

His attention, though, wasn’t on her, nor her bare legs and exposed stomach. It was on the planet that hung comfortably in space below them.

Mor’an had called it Pellanor – and it quite literally translated to ‘paradise’ in the Jundar tongue. It was rather lonely in its little patch of space, but it was gorgeous to look at against the black expanse. Its surface swirled in marbled greens, blues, and purples, interspersed with bodies of glittering blue.

“That’s it?” she asked, the awe evident in her voice. Beside her, Mor’an nodded.

“Yes, it is. Paradise.”

Mor’an had landed them with ease, entering them into Pellanor’s atmosphere. The closer they got to it, the more Adrien could see why it was called paradise –Pellanor was stunning. It was full of color, bright foliage, plants and animals that she had never seen on Earth or any of the planets she had been on. The whole world seemed to shimmer in ever-shifting shades of cools, and it was hard for Adrien to take her eyes off of everything.

“It’s so gorgeous,” she said, as the both of them stepped out of the ship. The atmosphere was warm, almost tropical. There was nothing around, that Adrien could tell, for miles. Just them… and this beautiful, open expanse of land.

“I thought you would like it,” Mor’an said. “The only inhabitants are on the other side of the planet, and they keep to themselves as long as visitors do. My people come here from time to time to relax, though they have to receive special permission to do so, and it’s always in small groups.”

“Would any of your people show up here?” she asked, curious as she walked along the group. The grass felt soft, almost fur-like, and was cool to the touch.

“No. We’re far removed from anywhere my people would come.” She looked over her shoulder when silence fell, as saw as he tilted his head at her. “Does it bother you, that we’re alone?” he asked her.

She thought about it. When she had first been captured, her answer would have been yes. She didn’t know this planet, its creatures, the people on it. She was isolated. Now, however, that isolation was nearly a blessing. It gave the two of them more time together… It was odd to think that she actually looked forward to that, but there she was, relishing the thought of having him all to herself, longer.

Adrien smiled at him, and shrugged.

“I don’t mind it,” she said. “You’re not bad company, when you think about it. Besides, this is a like a vacation out here. You know how badly I would have killed to know about a hot little vacation spot like this while I was at the labs?”

He laughed, and walked up to her. They began a trek away from the ship, along the bank of rive beside which the ship had been landed.

“Do you miss them?” he asked. She didn’t need to seek clarity on the question.

“I do,” she said, knowing that lying would get them nowhere. “I’m a scientist, after all. I like studying things and seeking new things out, getting answers to questions that have never been solved. But…”

He allowed her a few moments of thought before he pressed. “But?”

“But, I think… well I’ve been thinking. If this works out –” She gestured between the two of them “– you know, if we work out the way that I think we could, you don’t plan to go back to your people, do you?” He shook his head. “And I mean… I’ve always wanted to travel. It’s partly why I became a scientist to begin with; seek out new worlds and see things that I never would have, staying on Earth. There’s always so many restrictions, however. Even scientists have to deal with red tape.”

Adrien stopped, looking up at him. Her brows were a little furrowed, and she bit her lip. Mor’an’s hand came out, though, and cupped her cheek. She leaned into the warmth of his touch as she continued.

“Honestly, I have no idea how this is going to work between us. I can’t really deny there’s something that pulls me to you. It’s not the way humans work… but the scientist in me wants to see where it goes, as far as it can go. So… I would like to at least stay with you longer. If that means not returning anytime soon, I’m honestly not opposed to that. If we do return, it certainly won’t be to the labs – they’d probably experiment on us to see what the weird connection is and… Well, I don’t want that, even for science’s sake. So yeah. I do miss the labs, but not enough that I’m going to turn down this prospect.”

Mor’an smiled at her, and leaned down. She was receptive to his kiss, accepting it fully, opening her mouth to the sweet intrusion of his tongue. She nipped at him a little when he finally pulled away, and he laughed.

“Would you like to go for a swim?”