The escape pod lifted off from the surface of Karkast. I looked down and saw the captain and other members of the crew looking up at us. I smiled, knowing that they wouldn't try and follow us due to the fact that their mission wasn't complete. However, as soon as we got out of Karkast's atmosphere, trepidation began to rise up in my throat. I was now a fugitive of justice and a traitor because I had attacked and injured a fellow crewmember in defense of an enemy combatant. More than likely, I would never be able to return to my home planet again without being trialed and convicted.

“Are you alright?” Yahn asked me as I sat back in my chair and sulked.

“Yeah, it just dawned on me that I can never go home again,” I said.

“I know how you feel. I suppose we will just have to get used to the idea,” he said.

“You know, I never asked you how you know how to speak English,” I said.

“We Karkastians are taught several languages when we are very young- even the languages of our enemies. We can speak both with our mouths and telepathically.”

“Sounds as if your educational program is far more advanced than our own. I don’t even know one other language besides my own. That’s what this trusty gizmo is for,” I said, pointing to the language decoder device attached to my army –issued uniform. I didn’t even need to use it once when I was talking to Yahn.

“So, this pod is programmed to take us back to Earth,” Yahn said, bringing up the most urgent matter at hand.

"Yes, it is," I said as I watched a bright, blue comet shoot by the window. Its icy tail sparkled and then disappeared from view.

“I suppose there is some way to program it to go to other destinations,” Yahn said.

“I’m quite sure that there is.” Unfortunately, I had no idea how to re-program it.

"I sense that you don't know how to re-program it," Yahn said. Yahn couldn't exactly read my mind, but Karkastians were so intuitive that they came very close to it.

“No, I’m afraid I do not,” I said, feeling embarrassed. “To tell you the truth I’ve never been too technically inclined. I only got into the army so that I could get money for college.”

“What is college exactly?” Yahn asked.

“Well, it’s where you go to receive training for your job, your career after you get out of high school,” I explained; but Yahn’s large, pretty eyes seemed to be full of confusion.

“I’m not sure what any of that means,” Yahn said.

“A job is how you make money in order to pay for food, shelter- those kinds of things.”

Yahn was completely confused.

“As I said, in our society we don’t have jobs as you call them. We live communally and have talents that we lend to the group in order to do our part. We share all of the resources in our community equally. We don’t go to college, have jobs and earn what you call, ‘money’.”

“Sounds like you have the right idea. In the nineteen sixties, some human beings tried living in the way that you describe, but it never caught on to the mainstream,” I explained.

“Hmm, maybe that’s why your people are invading other planets and causing problems instead of living peacefully and focusing on your own planet,” he said.

“I can’t disagree with you, Yahn. You pretty much have Earthlings figured out,” I said.

“I can also see that you are not all alike. You are very enlightened and open-minded, unlike the Earthlings I have heard about, my entire life. Are there others that feel the same way you do?" he asked.

“Oh yes, there are plenty of enlightened Earthlings. Unfortunately, most of them possess very little power. Our rulers are only interested in lining their pockets and becoming more wealthy and powerful themselves,” I said.

“Too bad. I am going to see if I can figure out how to re-program the escape pod,” Yahn said as he began to examine the buttons on the control panel. I thought about how muscular and attractive his arms were and how good it would feel to have them wrapped around me. Yahn looked up and down at the different screens and began to push several buttons until a screen popped out of the side of the control module. It showed a picture of planet Earth.

“Here is it, I’ve found the main destination control panel. Where would you like to go?” he asked me. I was amazed at how quickly his brain worked. He had figured out in a matter of minutes what might have taken me days to find out.

“I have no idea about the planets in this galaxy. That would be your area of expertise. Why don’t you choose?” I said.

“Hmm,” he said as he began to look at the images of different planets and moons in the solar system. “How about this planet- Neutomia?” he said.

“I don’t know anything about it. If you think it’s safe- let’s go,” I said.

“It is a peaceful planet and they don’t know any enemies other than the Sarceastians. It’s a huge green, gas giant on the far side of the solar system. It will take some time to get there; but it should be a safe place for us once we reach it,” he said.

"Wait a minute. It's a gas giant?" I was thinking of Jupiter and Saturn in my own solar system and how there were no known life forms found there because there was not solid surface for any creature to walk upon.

“They have created floating platforms that they have built their cities on. They cannot dwell on the planet itself for the reasons that you have already pointed out,” he said.

“Wonderful, let’s set our controls for Neutomia, then,” I said, relieved that he had found a place for us to go other than Earth. Yahn began to type all sorts of coordinates into the control panel and the pod began to veer off in the opposite direction.

“There, that should do it. I’m getting a bit hungry. I take it that these pods are equipped with food supplies,” he said.

“Yes, your favorite,” I said as I opened a closet door and pulled out a familiar rectangular pouch.

“Rations. You Earthlings need to put some more thought into your food supplies. I can’t imagine living on these for an entire space mission,” he said.

“Yahn. I couldn’t agree with you more,” I said.

After a while, we lay together looking out at the stars, lost in our own thoughts. Finally, I decided to break the silence and ask Yahn about his childhood.

“What were your parents like? I asked him. The question seemed to catch him off guard.

“They were the kindest, most loving beings that I ever knew. I miss them more than I can say,” he said. I noticed that the beads of water were beginning to form on his body, a sign that he was expressing sadness.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted to know a little more about how you grew up and the people you cared about,” I said.

"No need to apologize. They were always supportive of me. Most Karkastians desire nothing but to live peacefully in the communities where they grew up and go on to raise a family. I had a desire to explore the worlds beyond Karkast. I would stay up late at night and think about the vastness of the universe and dream of visiting distant planets," he said.

“Well, it looks as if your dreams are coming true,” I said as my hand slipped inside his. He looked down at my hand and then up at me, smiling.

“That feels quite nice,” he said. “So what about you, Jessie Hampton- what were your parents like?”

"They were kind too. Dad was a little pushy and controlling, but he only wanted what was best for me. He didn't want me to make decisions that would go on to affect me later in life. I took a year off after high school to figure things out and he didn't like that one bit. He was taught that you go to school, immediately choose a career and work that job until it's time to retire…" As I said this, I could see Yahn becoming slightly confused again.

“Anyway, he was relieved when I told him I was joining the army in order to get money for school. He was relieved for two reasons. For one thing, it meant that he wouldn’t have to pay for my education. And for the second thing, it meant that I was getting on with some kind of plan for my life rather than working some meaningless job. My mother was sweet and supportive and would be encouraging no matter what I decided to do with my time. It hurts to think that I may never see them again,” I said as I felt the tears beginning to form in my eyes. Yahn sensed this and ran his fingers through my hair to comfort me.

"I know exactly how you feel, but we must be strong," he said.

I looked into his large, beautiful eyes and felt drawn to him. I didn't know if he was aware of what a kiss was, but I decided to plant one on him anyway. I kissed him gently on his full lips and his eyes got really big with surprise.

“What are you doing? It sure feels nice,” he said.

“It’s called a kiss. It’s a way we have of showing affection for those that we care about, although family members and friends don’t kiss on the lips usually,” I said.

"You may do it again if you wish," he said. I smiled and did it again. This time, I risked giving him a little tongue. His eyes got really big this time.

“That was different- I felt something even stronger that time,” he said.

I looked down at the primitive cloth that covered his waist and I began to see an enormous bulge forming there. “I can tell that you really enjoyed that,” I said, lifting an eyebrow.

He looked down at what I was looking at. “Oh, that is our reproductive organ. We don’t use it for anything else,” he said.

“What? So doesn’t your kind make love? That is to say, how do you show extreme affection for those that you really care about, and I don’t’ mean just family and friends?”

“Oh that, yes. We use what’s known as ‘mind-melding’,” he said.

“Would you care to show me?” I asked, still clutching his hand.

“I would love to,” he said. He sat up and interlocked his fingers with mine. He closed his eyes. A second later, an intense and pleasurable sensation began to take over my body. I couldn’t help but sigh and then moan as the feeling became stronger and stronger. I knew that I was experiencing an orgasm. After a few minutes, he let go of my hand and I caught my breath.

“Wow! That was wonderful!” I said as we smiled at one another.

"What about you humans? What do you do?" I thought about how much I wanted to show him, but I had just started my cycle so I elected for some ‘heavy petting'.

“Here is one way that we pleasure those that we care about, although there are many,” I said. I slowly slid my hand underneath the cloth that covered his waist. I was amazed at how large he was. I ran my hand up and down on him while he moaned with pleasure.

“Oh my! I never realized that organ could be used in such a way,” he said. Then we kissed as I continued to stroke him. He was unable to last very long because he was not used to this type of attention. Once I was done, we kissed some more and lay together in silence gazing out at the stars all around us.