Chapter 11
DR. JADE ROBERTS
I had the most epic night of my life. Letting Dalik take me the way he did was thrilling and the fact that he was of an alien race was intoxicating to me. He was very much like a human male, but also very different. His long limbs and tall stature made me feel delicate and petite under his weight. He was able to handle me like a rag doll and I liked that. As I stretched out in bed and thought about everything that had happened the night before I smiled to myself. So it was a shock when he burst into the room in a panic.
"We're getting out of here," he said as he opened a wall and began to pack. I sat up in bed and looked at him confused and scared. My heart pounded not knowing what was happening. I was so confused as to what had changed his mind. He went from being very confident to undertaking the Commander no matter his tricks to suddenly being very paranoid. I did not understand the change and since I did not know the planet I had no idea that there were places we could go to hide.
But when he mentioned Earth I was shocked. My heart jumped at his words. Tears started to form in my eyes hearing that he had fallen for me. I was falling for him too and I had been scared to admit that to him and to myself. It was too much too soon, but I had a connection with him. He was unlike any creature that I had ever known. He was a strong warrior that set me on fire in both mind and body.
I was impressed with his plan for Earth, but I was scared. How could he leave his home so abruptly just for me? I felt guilt creeping in.
Moments later we were going through the market smiling and having conversation as though nothing was out of the ordinary, my heart was racing so fast. I wondered if it was obvious on my face that I was so nervous. Dalik leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Now pay attention to where we are going. Memorize this just in case."
I nodded yes in response to him but said nothing. I looked around at my surroundings and picked out various landmarks that I had drawn on the map that I had made for myself. I knew that we were headed east towards the warrior stations. That fact only made me feel more nervous and terrified. How would we get through such a band of warriors if they figured out what we were up to?
Dalik came to a door on the outside of the warrior’s station, and he typed in the code and forced me to remember it. "Pay close attention Jade. This is important."
"I got it," I said as I memorized the code. The door opened and there was a long shaft in front of us that was dark and empty.
"Hurry," he said as he grabbed my hand and the door closed behind us. We walked fast but we did not run. I soon realized that this was a back way to the escape pods because we did not see anyone along the way. "Where is everyone?" I asked him.
"This entrance is for the higher officials, it is why I know of it but there are only a few that do," he said.
"I see," I said as I soon found myself in front of a long line of small escape pods. Dalik showed me how to open the door and then we both crawled in. He went through a series of switches and it wasn't very much unlike an escape pod on the ship I had been on. “This,” he said as he took out a projection tool and held it in front of my face. “This is the most important piece to the escape. Take it. Push it into this,” he said as he handed me the projection tool. I slid it into the slot of the pod. It reminded me of a cigarette lighter in a car. It fit perfectly and clicked.
"That's it. Now all I have to do is push this button and the escape pod will activate and launch." He said as he showed me a large blue button that was under a glass lid. He lifted it up and stared at the button.
I could sense the hesitation in his voice as he looked around. I couldn't allow him to do this. This was his home and he had dedicated his life to becoming the Consulate just like his father, and now he was going to give it all up for me. I could never live with the regret he would feel once we were on Earth. I grabbed his hand before he touched the button. "Don't Dalik. Stop. You don't want to do this. I can feel it. I won't let you do something that you will regret for the rest of our lives. We can get through this I know it." He looked at me and was silent for a long time. Then he finally said, "Do you remember everything? Do you remember how we got here? Do you remember how to activate the escape pod?"
"I think so," I said confused by his question.
"Good. Then promise me that as soon as you know who is winning the trial that you will come here and escape to Earth. Do not wait for me. You must go alone," he said as he squeezed my hand.
"But…" I tried to say but he stopped me.
"No, Jade, promise that you will sneak over here before they have even announced the commander’s name as the new Consulate if it comes to that," he squeezed my hand firmer.
"I promise," I said to him and he looked at the pod and said let's go over this one more time." Then he began to show me the sequence of activating the pod and entering the coordinates for Earth. I had to admit that the excitement and adrenaline made me feel scared but also aroused. The act of talking about leaving each other only made me want him right then and there incase I would never get to have him again. He looked at me for a long time and I think he was thinking the same thing. Then he finally said, "Come. Before we are caught." He pulled the projection tool out of the pod.
I followed him out of the pod as he erased the coordinates and undid all the switches. Then we quietly made our way out of the station and into the market.
"Come we must be seen. Let us go talk to a few shopkeepers and stop in at the market to eat in view of everyone. This way no one would think of any suspicion," he said as he grabbed my hand and invited me along the busy streets.
We made a big show of talking to a lot of Kalazaron who treated me with strange looks but out of respect for Dalik said nothing. We continued on our way to the Iccanis fields and the keeper had good news. "I moved several plants and they are doing well. You are a very smart human female," he said with a smile.
"I thank you," I said feeing proud but also some despair that I might not be able to help this project any more after I had become so excited about it. I had really started to see a place here for me as a scientist and as the lover of the Consulate warrior Dalik Moscurn, but now those dreams had been shattered. After the fields we continued back to the living quarters where we were meant with a surprise.
"Consulate where have you been?" A man said as soon as we stepped into the hallway outside the door to our living quarters.
"Master Bresh," Dalik bowed and I felt my heart drop to my stomach.