COMMANDER VYCON DASE
I was glad that Nicole and I stopped in order to be with each other because now it seemed like it was going to be the last time that we touched each other. We stood in front of a panel of leaders. There were the Earth leaders as well as my own Leader Nizok. We were in trouble.
“Commander Vycon Dase, I don't have to express to you how disappointed I am in your behavior. You know the rules about our dealings with the humans, particularly when it comes to the human females. We do not touch them. You have broken that rule,” my Leader said.
“I do not deny it, Leader. I have betrayed my own kind. Do what you must in order to punish me. Exile me here to Earth, exile me on Anvin. It does not make a difference. I have broken the rules, and I shall pay the consequences,” I said as I stood in front of them with Nicole at my side.
“Commander Vycon Dase, we have rules as well,” the Earth leader said. “We also punish Grantsions that become involved with our human females. We have a zero-tolerance policy. We did not invite you here to this base in order to do what the Waysaw do with our females. We have a pact in order to fight the Waysaw together, and nothing more. You have violated our rules.”
“I understand. I admit to it being my fault. This is all on me, I will take the Earth punishment as well, whatever that may be,” I said.
“No!” Nicole shouted. “It is not his fault. I am the one that seduced him. I practically begged for him to touch me. The commander said no over and over again. But I finally got the best of him. I am the one that should be punished; not him.”
Everyone was in shock and there was a lot of commotion as Nicole spoke. I restrained a smile.
“Nicole, is this true? You do not need to defend this Commander. He has no hold over you. We can protect you from him. If he has threatened you to get you to save him, you do not need to,” the Earth leader said to her.
“You scum!” Sergeant Banks shouted as he came for me. He hit me hard, and we fell down to the floor together. We wrestled, fighting until soldiers pulled us apart.
“Sergeant Banks, you will get a hold of yourself!” the Earth leader shouted. “Take him away; he is too heated.”
“This was my doing. Do not punish the commander,” Nicole said to the panel as well as sergeant Banks.
“In light of this news, and the fact that you carry the commander's child, we must take a recess from this panel to discuss amongst ourselves. For now, take the commander into custody,” the Earth leader said.
“No! There is no need for that,” Nicole said as she tried to stand up for me.
I grabbed her hand before being pulled away. I squeezed it, letting her know everything would be all right, or so I hoped.
They took me away and locked me up in the tower. I wasn't held in any sort of prison with bars; I was only kept in a special apartment that locked. It was just one room with all the necessities. I truly hoped that Nicole would not be punished. I thought she was very brave for standing up for me the way she did, but I wished that she had not. I needed her and the child to be safe, even if that meant I was exiled.
The next morning, I was pulled from the apartment and once again taken to the panel. I had spent the entire night thinking about the punishments that I had to prepare myself to accept it. I was led in front of the panel once more. I saw Nicole in the back of the room, and she stepped forward to step to my side once more. The panel began, and I was surprised that Leader Nizok was the first to speak considering that we were on Earth.
“Commander, in light of the news that this human female is pregnant, I have conversed with the leaders on our home of Anvin, in the village. They have come up with a verdict as to your punishment for breaking the rules.”
“Thank you for taking the time to do that, Leader Nizok; I am prepared to hear my punishment,” I said.
“It has been decided that you will be forced to stay at the side of this female. You have impregnated her, and you will take that responsibility. Wherever she decides to live, here on Earth or returning with us, you belong to her. If you return to Anvin, you will not be exiled only because you are a very valued commander. We need you in this fight against the Waysaw, whether you work here on this base or on our own planet. But the leaders have also requested that you deal with the punishment that the Earth leaders will give to you. We are their guests, and you have treated their hospitality poorly. We have a sacred pact with these humans, one that can help save us all, and you have disgraced it. You will listen to the Earth leaders’ punishment, and if they deliver any sort of recourse, you shall follow it,” Leader Nizok said.
I looked to the Earth leaders. As I did so, Nicole came to my side and put her arm through mine. She squeezed me tight.
“Commander Vycon Dase, we have taken up your punishment with our leaders, and we do have a punishment to issue. Because you have impregnated our human female, we also require that you stay at her side through this. We also require that you stay here on the base. You will not be able to return to your own planet for the duration of two years. When you leave, you will be required to take Nicole with you, as well as the child. In the two years that you are here, you will be required to continue training the Earth battalions as you have been.”
“It has come to our attention that you have recently been training the Earth soldiers in combat in order to fight off the Waysaw. We have received many outstanding remarks that the soldiers are learning well from you. Because of this, we are being lenient and understand that it is a great asset to have you here. Only because of that are we not giving you the most severe punishment that you should rightly receive,” the Earth leader said.
I nodded my head. “I am in complete understanding of what you are saying, sir,” I said.
“Then let it be known that you are to remain here on Earth for the duration of two years, and you will stay by the side of this human female; after two years you will be permitted to leave if you wish to, but you will be taking the child and Nicole with you.”
“Then that is all; this panel is dismissed,” the leader said and then evyerone dispersed.
“Are you serious?” A big beautiful smile came across her face, and her eyes were wide. I was happy to see her happy again after the pain I had caused her.
“I have never been more serious about anything in my life, human female. That is if you will have me after I have been such a jerk,” I said.
“I think I can forgive you if all the Earth leaders and Anvin leaders have forgiven you for your deeply flawed actions,” she said.
“Thank you; I am also willing to give in to your punishment, if you have any for me,” I said playfully.
I kissed her. This was a good beginning. We had made it through the toughest times, and now we would start anew. We had broken all the rules, and yet the rules had mended themselves to us, and our love. We were very lucky, and I would not be taking that for granted. I was more than happy to stay on Earth and train the battalions as I had discovered that not all humans were as bad as Sergeant Banks. I was growing fond of the soldiers: someone like Private Martinez was a loyal and respectable soldier. There were many like him. Plus, I would be able to be with Nicole and our child. It was all that mattered. I never thought I would find myself getting married to a human that carried my child, I had so deeply hated them for so long, but I had never really known many. I was judgmental and superficial, and Nicole had shown me the error of my ways. She had made me a better alien.