“Wake up!” Hey, wake up, you savage!”

Every inch of me hurts.

“Where is she, huh? What did you do with her?! Tell me!”

My ears are ringing and my knuckles feel like they’ve been crushed by a mountain — but that’s nothing compared to the burning I feel inside my chest. Every thump of my heart sends out a jolt of pain.

“You ate her didn’t you? I knew it. I knew Zorans couldn’t be trusted. You monster. I’ll cut her out of your belly if I have to!”

I slowly open my eyes, only to see a small, pudgy alien hovering over me. His hair is blonde, and he’s wearing a skin-tight uniform that’s several sizes too small for his figure.

“Ah, so you’re awake! Good! Tell me where she is! Where’s Ava?!”

Ava.

Her name brings back memories. They come rushing back to me like a waterfall. Her smile, her warm laugh, the way her body feels draped around mine… she’s the reason I exist, the reason I draw breath.

Ava!

The ship, the aliens, the fight — I remember. I remember failing, I remember being shot, I remember her being taken from me. I remember dying.

Now I don’t even get the sweet release of death? I have to live with my failure?!

In the blink of an eye I’m back on my feet. I grab the tubby alien by the scruff of his neck and lift him right up. His feet are kicking in the air, his cheeks turning a hot pink.

“Where’s Ava?!” I growl like a wounded animal.

“P-put me down! I w-was asking you th-that!”

“Where did you take her?!”

“I j-just arrived! C-come on, I-I didn’t mean what I said, really! Some of my b-best friends are Z-Zorans! You know K-Kazim? We’re real tight! S-served together and everything!”

My vision is still blurry, my heart working overtime as my broken and bloodied body is forced back into working order. I narrow my eyes and concentrate on the strange alien in front of me.

Slowly, he comes into focus. His skin isn’t ghostly pale — it’s more salmon. His hair isn’t white either, and he’s far from tall and bony.

This isn’t a Nezdek. It’s a human male.

I drop him to the floor and he scrambles to his feet, coughing and wheezing.

“What was that for?” he complains as he wipes his uniform clean. There’s a symbol of a green and blue orb fastened to his chest, with a golden star right above it.

“Who are you?” I growl.

“I could ask you the same thing!”

I glare at the human male, and he snaps to attention.

“C-captain Donovan Ferguson, sir!” he says. “I’m here on a rescue mission to save Ava Payne! Now, if you would be so kind as to tell me where she is, so I can get my just reward…”

“You’re too late.”

I slowly clench and unclench my fists. The skin is torn and bloodied, but my bones aren’t broken. My shoulder and forearms are covered in deep cuts — I’ve lost a lot of blood. The blast to my chest has left my purple skin seared. It could have killed me, but instead, I live to regret my mistakes.

The human gasps. “Too late? Y-you killed her?! You, you… beast!”

He raises his small fists at me.

“I challenge you to a duel, sir! For Ava’s honor!”

I raise one eyebrow and push my shoulders back. His blue eyes travel over my bloodied frame, and with a deep sigh he lowers his hands.

“Oh, what does it matter,” he mumbles. “No sense dying for some dead chick’s honor.”

He sits down on a rock and kicks up dirt. “Just my luck. I figured picking her up would score me some major points, and instead I find another Zoran has beaten me to the punch. I can’t believe I gave up the victory party back on Earth for this — you know the soldiers are drowning in pussy right now, right? And I’m a captain! Do you know what that means? Ah, what I’m saying, of course you don’t. You’re some kind of alien hobo. Oh well, it was worth a shot. If I hurry, I might pick up some leftovers. Better than nothing!”

“Ava’s not dead, you blabbering idiot. The aliens took her.”

Ferguson cocks his head. “She’s not? What aliens?”

“The pale ones.”

“The Nezdek? They came back for her? Well, fuck me sideways. She’s as good as dead then, anyway.”

He rises to his feet, slapping his inner thighs.

“So much for this mission, then. To Earth!”

If this blithering idiot represents mankind, I can see why Ava was attracted to me — I feel dumber for hearing him talk. And if he thinks that my mate would ever fall for someone like him… he’s even dumber than he looks.

The man walks towards his spaceship — his spaceship!

My heart skips a beat when I see it. I’ve been so focused on the man’s drivel, I hadn’t noticed the small spaceship parked in the distance. It’s yellow and blue, with one pod fixed between a set of wings.

“You came here on that thing?!” I growl.

“No, I walked,” the human male says. “Of course I did. Idiot.”

Within three large steps I’ve caught up with the human. I grab his neck, and he screams out like a wounded animal.

“S-sorry! You’re not an idiot! I’m sure you’re the smartest barbarian around, really!”

“We’re finding Ava,” I growl. “Let’s go.”

“What? Are you mad?” he says. “We’d need a whole fleet to take them on! This is just a cruiser, a passenger ship. My personal baby. I like to take her out for a cruise around Saturn. Chicks dig that. Something about those rings that just make their panties drop like that.”

“Stop thinking with your cock or I’ll rip it off,” I growl menacingly. Every second we waste is one where Ava is getting further away from me.

“D-don’t!” Ferguson says. “Please!”

“Then fly this thing towards Ava.”

“We can’t! Seriously, we wouldn’t even fit! The pod is not built for one your size, no offense!”

I carry the human by the scruff of his neck towards the ship. The pod is rather small. I’d fit, but only barely.

“How were you planning on traveling with Ava on this small thing?” I ask. “It barely fits you!”

“Uhh, on my l-lap?” he stammers. My grip on his neck tightens, and he’s quick to apologize.

“Sorry! Sorry! Look, it’s hopeless, alright! Forget about her! If you want some Earth pussy, I can get you some! I’m a captain, r-remember? Following the Nezdek… that’s suicide! You’ll get us both killed!”

“Either the Nezdek will kill you… or I will. Your choice, human.”

“Ah, man!” he whines. “The one time I try to do something noble, and this is what I get?! Ah, fine, fine! Get in!”

I fold myself into the small pod, which barely fits one human. Ferguson is pressed up against me as he sits down — it’s far from comfortable, but none of that matters.

The only thing I care about is Ava. I’ll suffer through anything for her.

“I swear to god, they better build a statue for me after this,” the male mumbles as he fires up the engines. “Hold on, we’re taking off!”

I brace myself as the ship starts to rumble, the engines roaring louder than a whole pack of Takus. With a blast that forces me back into my seat we kick off, the stars rapidly approaching.

I take one last look back at the only world I’ve ever known. The jungle, the forest, the plains that I’ve called my home my entire life fade away, until they’re nothing but a small dot in the distance, and we’re traveling amongst the stars.

Hold on, Ava.

I’m coming for you.