Alien Romance: Abducted by the Alien Warrior

Description

A curvy smuggler on her next mission PLUS a dominant alien warlord who takes her captive PLUS an enemy on their heels!

Andromeda Nus has been on her own since the age of fifteen. She’s a smuggler by trade and a good one at that. But smuggling is just a cover for her real business – aiding the human rebellion against the warrior race of aliens hell bent on conquering earth.

The Dolcivs are humanoid and hyper-aware. They are smarter, faster and stronger than their earth-born cousins. They’ve been struggling to conquer Earth, but humanity isn’t going down without a fight and not all members of the Dolcivs agree with the war.

Sent to a far distant system to pick up plans for the human rebellion, Andromeda is captured by the Dolcivs Lord, Historan Strath. But Strath is not part of the Regime conquering Earth. He is his own Lord and answers to no one.

Being Strath’s prisoner is more tempting than terrifying. Strath is wealthy and powerful and enticed by Andromeda. Can Andromeda free herself from Strath? Will she be able to bring the plans to the rebellion? Or will she fall for him instead?

Chapter One

I couldn’t stop my leg from jiggling. This was a problem. I was wearing handcuffs and every time I nervously fidgeted, the chains around my wrists would rattle. It was an unnerving sound. The jangle echoed around my cell, a stark reminder that this would most likely be the last room I ever saw.

The walls were made of a stainless steel that was colored dull gray, with a single raised bed and one sink. The room was dark, with only one bright light on overhead. The ship that picked me had looked massive. There could have easily been ten thousand souls on board. The guards had been efficient, my jail cell was inescapable. I didn't know who it was that snatched me, but I could tell that escape would not be easy.

I forced myself to stop fidgeting. I needed to be calmer than this. Whoever had me was trying to psych me out. They were leaving me alone in this cell to slowly drive myself crazy. I had no idea how long it had been since I had been dumped in here. At least two days, maybe three, with nothing to do but stare at the bare walls around me. A few hours ago a guard had come and placed the cuffs on my wrists, but he hadn’t been back since.

It had been a trap. I didn’t know if the trap was for me or someone else, but it had worked. I came out of hyperspace practically on top of a giant ship. In the few moments it took my computer to re-align I was vulnerable and in that moment the great ship swallowed my tiny one easily.

The troops had taken a while to find me. I hid down in one of my smuggling compartments secreted away far in the bowels of my ship. But they knew someone was onboard. The guards tore her apart until they found me. I had been stripped of my weapons, my clothes, even my boots. Now I was in a simple jumpsuit – unflattering to my curvy figure - and a pair of socks, nothing else.

I didn’t recognize the insignia on the uniform of the men who captured me. The decal was a series of dashes and dots. It wasn’t the insignia of the current rulers, the Dolcivs Regime. Their symbol was easy to recognize, a solid circle surrounded by a circle of dashes and another one of dots. Whoever had me wasn’t a recognized Lord in the Regime. He was a Lost Lord, and a powerful one by the look of it.

I couldn’t take the waiting. It was driving me crazy. I stood up and began to pace back and forth. It took six and a half steps to walk the length of the cell. I began to march back and forth as my mind tried to figure out where I had gone wrong. I had been working as a smuggler for over eight years and I had never been caught before.

The job had been from a reliable client, the information passed through my broker as is the norm. The unnamed client (who is always unnamed in my business) needed something picked up in a far off system that was out of the Regime’s control. Out of the way pick-up and delivery was my specialty. I had a fast ship and I knew how to fly her. Usually, I could get in and out without anyone even knowing I was there.

I hadn’t been expecting an ambush. There was always the chance I might encounter someone on one of my jobs, but I never landed right on top of someone else.

The chances were billions to one, it was near impossible that two ships would just happen to be in such close proximity. Space is big, really big. It’s rare to run into another ship. No, it had been a trap. Whoever had set up this job had specifically sent me here. They wanted me in particular.

I had paced the length of the room ninety-seven times when the door swung open. I turned to see a Dolcivs guard standing waiting for me. Dolcivs were like humans, only bigger, stronger, and faster, their eyes were bright blue and they shined under the lights of my cage. I was already considered short, but curvy by human standards, so the eight foot tall Dolcivs warriors towered over me.

The guard grabbed me by the upper arm and wrenched me out onto the platform. I hurried to keep up with him, practically running to meet his strides.

“Where are we going?” I asked. But he didn’t say anything. Neither had any of the other guards. They were well-trained. The prison on the ship was half-empty. I passed a few cells, where sullen-looking Dolcivs and a few humans silently watched me pass.

I was led to a lift that rose up and up through the massive ship. Finally, the guard swiped his palm across the electronic pad and the elevator door opened to reveal an opulent suite.

This wasn’t what I expected. My feet sunk into plush red carpets. The walls were covered in video screens that showed the starry space outside. We were in the orbit of a large gas giant and reds, purples and yellows swam along the surface of the planet. There were comfortable-looking chairs interspersed in the room and a long bar along one wall.

I only had a moment to take this all in before I was pulled into the next room. It was dark inside and I could barely see anything. The only light that entered the dim room came from the red planet below us.

“Unchain her and leave us,” a strong voice commanded.

The guard nodded once, unlocked my cuffs and then stepped out the door. I remained frozen in place. I stared into the darkness trying to discover who my captor was, but I couldn’t see anything other than a few vague shapes. There was what looked like a great bed in one corner and then past that, a sunken area with a couch facing the view of the planet.

I didn’t move. I didn't know what was expected of me. It seemed like I waited a very long time, shifting from foot to foot.

“Andromeda Nus,” the voice said.

I didn’t answer.

“Listen well, Andromeda, for this is your one and only warning. Do not ignore me and do not waste my time with lies. I can easily rip the truth from you, but I would rather you give it to me. This would be best for you. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Are you Andromeda Nus?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“You will address me as Sir, or My Lord.”His voice was low and smooth, but commanding. I craned my neck to try and get a better view of my captor, but I could only see shadows. The outline of a Dolcivs face, nothing more.

“Yes, Sir,” I corrected. I should have known. The Dolcivs take their rankings and titles very seriously. If he was a Lost Lord, as I expected, he would care more than most.

“The famed smuggler, Andromeda Nus.”

“I never knew I was famed, Sir,” I replied.

“But you are,” he said. “Come and step into the light.” I swallowed heavily, my stomach in knots. I moved slowly through the room, carefully picking my way in the darkness.

He was sitting on the couch, his arms outstretched on the back of it. I could barely make out his features. He had a strong jaw and long dark hair, his eyes followed me as I walked in front of him, taking in every inch of my body.

“There,” he said. “Stand in the light.”

I moved to where he indicated and stood with my arms crossed.

“Put your arms down,” he said.

I complied, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew that if I resisted him, he would bring his guards in and they would make me do whatever this Lost Lord demanded. It was better to appease him in these small ways.

“Spin around, slowly,” he ordered. My heart sped up even more as I slowly spun in a circle. I could feel him watching me, practically devouring me with his eyes. When my back was turned to him I felt a shiver run up my spine and I could not help but shudder. I heard him give a low sigh when I did.

Finally, I was facing him again. I was trying to stand perfectly still. I didn’t want him to know how terrified I was at this moment. This trap had been laid for me. He must have known my true purpose for taking the job that put me in this system. Did he guess that I was no normal smuggler?

I wasn’t here to just work a gig. I had ulterior motives. Hidden deep in the storms of the planet below us was information. Plans and designs of Dolcivs ships that were vital to the mission of the human rebellion. They were waiting somewhere in the planet beneath me. Unless this Lost Lord had already found them and now he was just playing with me like a cat plays with a mouse.

What was he going to do to me? It wouldn’t matter. No matter what, I would never talk. I would never tell him anything. I would take these rebel plans to my grave. I would never help the Dolcivs.

“They didn’t tell me you would be so fair,” he said. “When they told me it was a female smuggler that was sneaking through my security lines, I imagined someone older. Someone a little more worn-out. But you are fresh and delicate as a flower. How have you managed to be in such a dangerous business and keep that pretty face of yours intact?”

“I don’t normally get caught, Sir,” I said. I didn’t know what else to say. He wouldn’t accept any lies and he would know if I was lying. Dolcivs were hyper-aware, they could sense the smallest tics and facial expressions that indicated someone was lying. The truth was all I was left with.

“Yes, you are very good at your job. Even I must accept that,” he said. “Come here and sit by me.”

I walked over to him avoiding eye-contact. I sat down on the small couch next to him, our legs almost touching. I sat straight, taking up as little room as possible. This wasn’t what I expected. I thought I would be in a room with a desk and a bright overhead light. Not this.

“Champagne?” he asked. “It’s the real thing, from earth.” I could smell the cologne he was wearing, it was something spicy and enticing. He was so close. I was too aware of his massive presence. He must have been two feet taller than me. He looked down at me. His hand, still resting on the back of the couch, was only inches from my skin.

He took a glass of the amber liquid and took a sip and then handed the drink to me. It was a Dolcivs tradition. It proved there was no poison in the drink. It had the added benefit of passing microbes around, the Dolcivs immune system was unparalleled.

I took a sip. The drink smelled sweet and tangy and the effervescent bubbles danced across my tongue. I was aware there might still be poison in the glass. This Lost Lord was twice the size of me, he could easily handle a dose of poison strong enough to kill the likes of me. But I had no choice. To deny the drink would be a great offense and I was still hoping there might be a way for me to figure out a way out of this. He hadn’t mentioned the plans yet, only the smuggling. Was there a chance he had no idea why I was really in this system?

“Cheers,” he said, lifting his glass. It was such an oddly human gesture. I lifted my glass and hit it gently with his.

Chapter Two

“I am Historan Strath, Lord of Gashtad Island and Mareland by the Sea. My lands were destroyed in the Great War of Dominion, which is when my people took to space. I am the King of this vessel and Supreme Ruler of all who reside on it.”

I had guessed right. The Dolcivs were a warrior race. A generation ago a great war had rocked the Dolcivs planet. There had been two movements: the Regime who wanted to move into space and conquer other worlds and the Lost Lords who thought conquering and invading other planets unnecessary.

The Regime won. The Lost Lords saw their lands destroyed. They had no other choice but to move their people and industries into these giant spaceships and seek out other worlds and other lands to claim as their own.

“So, you aren’t with the Regime?” I asked him.

He shook his head and replied, “I do not war with the Regime, nor do I answer to them. My ship and my worlds are outside of their control. I have no business with them and they little business with me.”

“They’re taking over my planet,” I said. I was breathing a little easier. Maybe he didn’t know what my secret mission was. Maybe this was just some strange coincidence.

“A decision I do not agree with,” he said with a shake of his head. “Those in charge of the Regime thought taking Earth would be easy. Our technology far outstrips yours and we are stronger. They thought your planet would be easily taken. I warned the leaders of the Regime taking earth would be no simple task. I warned them the humans were smart and wily and would fight down to the last man for their freedom. And now I have been proven right.

“I have long been a great admirer of your people. I have studied human artists, writers, histories. Your culture is so fascinating and peaceful. Your search for meaning and enlightenment through art amazes me. I think we should have studied you, not overtaken you. But mine was a voice of the minority.

“I have no fight in the war between my people and yours, Andromeda. All I care about are my ships, my people and my dominion.” His voice was low, he was so close to me and yet I could not make out the details in his face. He was just a handsome smudge, but a dangerous one.

“I don’t know what-”

“You’ve been sneaking across my borders. You’ve been stealing goods from my planets and moving them out of this system,” his voice was dangerous now. He was looming over me.

“If this is about taxes I can get you the money,” I said quickly.

“I don’t want your money. I want to know how you do it. I want to know how you get around my sensors and how you hide cargo.”

“I can’t tell you that,” I said staring at the carpet in front of me. “I would lose all of my work, it would end me.”

His giant hand reached out for my chin. His touch was gentle, but firm, as he turned my head to look at his. He was in the light now and I could see his bright blue eyes, his strong jaw, his strong arms, his head of thick dark hair that reached his shoulders.

He turned me to face him and said, “Either you will tell me of your own accord or I will make you tell me.” I blinked back tears. This wasn’t what I had expected. I knew someday I would eventually get caught, but I thought I would be in a torture chamber somewhere. Not here, in the bedroom of some Lost Lord.

I felt powerless. I had no weapons, no defenses, no one was going to come looking for me. How long would I last under torture? What would I tell him if he asked? Wouldn’t it be better to start answering questions now while I still had some sense, or was that the coward’s way out?

“Besides, were you to give me this information, I would keep you here on the ship with me. Your smuggling career would be over. I have many humans in my crew. All of them are free and happy and able to rise as high as their intelligence and wit allows them. I do not keep slaves.” I was grateful to hear that. Many of the Lost Lords weren’t so gallant.

“Come with me,” he said as he stood.

I stood up as well. He turned towards the bed and my heart stopped. But thankfully he kept walking to another door. He opened it and my eyes winced as a bright light poured forth. He motioned for me to enter first.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust. I was in an old-fashioned looking room. Paintings lined the wall. Real paintings, not digital copies. They were all nudes, breasts and hips seemed to pour from the frames. Pale, curvy human women lounged on the grass and peered into pools. They lined the walls, sultry eyes and parted lips everywhere I looked. Strath definitely had a type.

“This is my favorite, Venus of Urbina, by Titian.” The painting was a serene looking woman, completely nude. She was reclining on a couch, twirling a strand of hair on one finger. “Look at the way she stares, unashamed, into the painter’s eyes. She hides nothing.”

I stood awkwardly and looked at the pictures. Unsure of what to do or say. I could see him clearly now in the bright light. He was wearing a dark, toga style robe favored among the Dolcivs. He was handsome, there was no denying it.

“I value human culture. I collected these pieces right after the first wave of the invasion. I’ve kept them safe. You see, Andromeda, I’m not in the practice of destroying valuable things. I treat them well. You could be a valuable thing. I could treat you very well,” he said as he took two steps closer to me and I stood still.

He stood over me, putting his hands on my shoulders. He was so strong. He could have crushed me without even trying.

“Will you work with me, Andromeda?” He asked. “Will you tell me how you are able to smuggle items through my security? Or shall I discover the information the hard way? The way that will leave you broken? It is your choice. What do you choose?”

I hesitated for just a moment and then nodded. He didn't know about the rebellion or the plans. He was just a Lost Lord showing off his wealth. I could give him a few of the codes I had and then find a way to get off this ship and back onto mine. If I played this right, I could survive without any scars.

He stared into my eyes, but I wasn’t technically lying. Finally, after a moment, he let me free and a sigh escaped my throat. But he wasn’t done with me yet. He brought a hand to my cheek and with one finger he traced the outline of my jaw and then traveled lower - down my neck and past my collarbone. He found the top button of my jumpsuit and he grabbed my collar and pulled me closer to him. I was pulled against him and then he tugged on my jumpsuit breaking the string that held the top button. The button popped free and fell down to the ground. He looked me over, taking all of me in, but I avoided his eyes looking past him and praying that he would stop.

Finally, I had to look into his eyes. Dolcivs eyes had no white to them, just a shining blue with a dark pupil. His bright blue eyes were searching mine and his lips were parted. For one moment I was sure he was going to kiss me. My stomach fluttered and I wasn’t sure if it was from excitement or fear.

He let go. He unclasped his hand and I stumbled back a step. “A guard will show you to your room. You are not to leave it. Everything you need will be provided to you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, My Lord,” I said, oddly out of breath.

“Good,” he said. “I can be very kind, Andromeda Nus. But I can be very cruel as well. Don’t forget that.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Chapter Three

My jail cell was a very nice room. There was a large, soft bed on top of a soft carpet. The walls had screens on the panel that I could program to be anything I wanted, a scenic mountain top, a beach or my personal favorite, the stars outside. I had my own bathroom and a closet full of clothes in the Dolcivs style.

I fell onto the bed, unsure of what else to do. If this was a trap, it was a hell of a strange one. No torture, no questioning, just an offer and a nice room. I wasn’t sure how to fight it. Strath hadn’t asked me anything. He had just given me orders. He hadn’t done anything, but already I was terrified of displeasing him.

I slept fitfully and was awakened by a guard after only a few hours. Strath wanted to see me for breakfast. I showered and dressed. The only clothes available to me were long Dolcivs togas. I picked a simple black one and wrapped it around myself. It was cut for a human my size, the soft fabric falling down my body to graze the floor. When I was ready, I was led back down the hallway to Strath’s quarters.

I needed to keep my wits about me. Strath wasn’t a violent or angry man. He wasn’t interested in torture, only information. I needed to be smart about this. I needed to give him just enough information to keep myself alive without giving so much away that it would ruin my career. It was a dangerous balance and even one small mistake could send me to my death.

The door to his bedroom was made of a dark, ancient wood. Brought from his ancestral home no doubt. My stomach clenched as I stood before it. In some strange way, the informality of our conversations was worse than interrogation. I didn’t know where I stood with Strath, I never knew what he might be thinking or planning.

His bedroom was brightly lit from one of the screens. I watched as this system’s pale, dying sun appeared on the horizon of the nameless gas giant. In the bright light, I could see the room in more detail. In addition to the great bed, there was a small table with a few chairs and a large desk in one corner where he worked.

Two Dolcivs women and one curvy raven-haired human woman slept in a pile on the bed. Their limbs were tangled up with each other. Their naked flesh pale against dark sheets. They were all still sleeping deeply and I could guess what had made them so tired.

It took me a moment to find Strath. He was sipping coffee on the same couch I had seen him on last night. There was a pad in one hand and he was quietly reviewing something.

“Come here,” he commanded without looking around.

I moved passed the great bed and trio of sleeping beauties. I noticed one of the Dolcivs women was awake. Her body remained still, but her eyes followed my progress through the room.

“My Lord,” I said, as I stood before him.

“Andromeda, did you sleep well last night?”

“Very well, thank you, My Lord.” Behind us, the human woman sat up and stretched, her buxom breasts moving freely. She stood up and unabashedly walked naked across the room. She was beautiful, her skin clear, her body tight and toned. I couldn’t help but stare at her.

“Do you like what you see?” Strath asked me. His voice was low and sultry and I could not look him in the eye. I shook my head, my eyes glued to the floor. “I thought I told you not to lie to me,” he said. A long awkward moment passed between us. He was watching me, trying to figure out from my expression what I was thinking.

“Come, sit, eat. They won’t bother you,” he said waving to the women behind him.

I sat down next to him. The Dolcivs were well known for their appetites and I could not resist a meal. The moment I sat down, several servants entered the room. They were all women and they were all naked from the waist up. I did my best not to stare.

Humans and Dolcivs had a shared ancestor. According to Dolcivs legend, an ancient race of aliens had found earth, with its simple hunter-gatherer humans. They took a large group of them to work as slaves on their ships and after a millennium of slavery, the Dolcivs rebelled. They killed all of their masters and had taken over the planet. No one had seen that ancient race in a millennium.

Dolcivs were cousins to humans. We could interbreed, there were children born of Dolcivs mothers and human fathers, but they were rare. Some Dolcivs men preferred human women and it looked like Strath was one of them.

The servants placed a huge bounty in front of me. Eggs, cured meats and fruits, everything was ripe and fresh. I imaged most were grown here on the ship, but I knew that Strath had several planets under his dominion where he could grow whatever he wanted.

“I have learned a little about you, Andromeda,” he said. “A human orphan born to a mother in a Regime jail. She had been caught trafficking in stolen weapons. Put to death the day after you were born. But what has happened to you since? After the age of six, you disappeared from Regime records. Where did you go at such a young age?”

“I was picked up by a band of humans traveling past the school where the Regime kept us. These people did not believe that human children should be raised by the Regime. So they liberated us.”

He chuckled quietly. “How I love your human words. Liberated. How powerful a word.”

“I was taken in by a couple who worked trading routes. As I got older I started taking more and more jobs on my own. I got my ship and everything was going smoothly, until this most recent development,” I said.

There was a lot left unsaid. I did not mention the fact that I was raised in the rebellion. Humans in the rebellion made a habit of reclaiming human children taken by the Dolcivs and raising them in the human way. The rebellion had trained me to fight, hide and steal from a young age. Smuggling was my cover, but my real work was with the rebellion.

“Have you ever been to Earth?”

“Yes, Sir, many times. It is the most beautiful place in all existence.” I could still see the rebel stronghold where I had been raised. It was tucked far back in the mountains. I awoke every morning to the sound of crickets in the air and the wind blowing through my hair. I missed Earth dearly.

“To me, it is the same with the Dolcivs home world. I miss it every day and it is a great sadness to know that I can only return there as a fugitive or a captive. This war has cost both sides a great deal.”

It was little comments like that, that made me question Strath. His love of human words and our arts and culture. His love of human women. That could be a weakness. He clearly had no sympathy or connection to his own people. Maybe there was some way I could bring him over to my side.

“I’ve torn your ship apart,” he said and I winced at the thought of my baby lying in the hangar in pieces. “The interior,” he continued. “It’s too good of a ship to junk. I believe my men have found most of your hiding places. Some of them are quite good. We’ve found five, how many are there?”

He was looking directly at me with a direct question. He would know if I was lying.

“There are ten hiding spots on the ship, Sir,” I answered.

He sat back, clearly impressed. “I shall tell my men to keep looking. This will be a good exercise for them.

“How many ships full of lumber did you move from the planet F454454?” Strath asked.

“Seven,” I replied. He looked less pleased at that. He shook his head in dismay and disgust. It wasn’t easy for him to hear exactly how much had been stolen from him. I focused on remaining as still as possible, answering as simply as I could.

Behind me, the three women began to move. I could hear the rustling of sheets as they stood and stretched. From the corner of my eye, I could see the Dolcivs women kissing each other, playing with their hair and giggling at some joke between them.

“This has been helpful. I’m sure it will be the beginning of many fruitful conversations between us. I’m having a gathering tomorrow, The Festival of Salt and Sea. It shall be a grand celebration. Have you ever been to a Dolcivs festival?”

“No, My Lord.”

“Then this shall be eye-opening. I will have a dress brought to your room. You should go and rest, for the celebration of Salt and Sea is a long one. You will need your strength.”

Chapter Four

My toga for the Festival of Salt and Sea was stunning. It was shorter than the one I had been wearing, falling a few inches above my knees. Whoever made the garment had made it well, it hugged my curves, accenting – not hiding – my hourglass figure. It was a soft material in a blue-grey color. When I moved, the fabric fluttered around me like waves on the sea.

There was a mask as well, made of black lace with two eyeholes. It wrapped around my head tied in a neat bow to keep it in place. It was midday when the three women from his bed arrived in my room to help me get ready.

They came early, but they did not speak. Not one word was uttered by any of them. I asked them a thousand question, but their only response was to smile coyly at me and shake their heads. None of them looked unhappy or abused. Their arms were free from bruises and they were quick to laugh and smile.

They did my hair up in an elaborate do with loose tendrils framing my face. They covered me in a fine glittery mist, my skin shimmered every time I moved. Finally, they wrapped the mask around my face and incorporated it into my hair.

I didn’t recognize my own reflection in the mirror. I looked like someone else, an ethereal Goddess trapped on a spaceship. The blue dress stood out in stark contrast to my pale skin, my dark hair seemed to shine in the light.

The women led me out and to the celebration. At first, we saw no one else. I felt rather silly and overdressed in my dress and mask as I walked down the hallway. We entered a lift, we were the first ones on, but it quickly filled up.

Men and women, both human and Dolcivs, entered the elevator. There was an air of excited anticipation. Everyone was dressed up in short togas trimmed with gold and accented with lace. The bright blue eyes of the Dolcivs shone out from behind their masks.

We were all pressed into the elevator together. I understood now why Strath had sent his women to dress me. I blended in perfectly. No one, other than his guards, would know who I was. I could enjoy the festivities like I was one of them.

The elevator doors opened to a huge open-air room. The high ceiling above us was a curved screen that showed the stars. I stepped out of the elevator and looked down at the scene below me with wonder.

There were fire dancers on high platforms, swinging burning lanterns around them. Food was laid out everywhere, birds and suckling pigs, fish, shrimp, piles of fruits and decadent chocolate desserts. My stomach rumbled at all of the food. Half-dressed human and Dolcivs women handed out drinks to waiting people.

Everyone was dressed in the same way I was. Short togas and elaborate masks. There was a dance floor where people twirled and spun while a live band played from a recessed alcove. I stepped down into the gathering, Strath’s women following closely behind me.

I could easily guess that the Festival of Salt and Sea was an old holdover from when Strath’s family still had land on the Dolcivs home world. It was a celebration of the sea, for the bounty of harvest it had formerly brought to the Dolcivs people. Even though they were far from the sea, Strath brought this tradition into space with him.

It was good for the people on this ship to have an occasion to celebrate. I saw nothing but smiles on the faces of the people I passed. But it wasn’t just smiles I encountered, touching was a huge part of the festivities. Everyone that I passed touched me. Hands caressed my bare shoulders and clasped the back of my thigh, stroked my arms. There was nothing cruel or malicious in these touches. It was about connecting with the people all around you, strengthening the sense of community on board.

The women stopped in line for a drink. They got one for me and they smiled as they brought the cup to my lips. I took a sip, the drink was sweet but strong. I tried to stop, but the women wouldn’t let me. They held me still as the cupped tipped back and I drank it all.

I felt the effect almost immediately. My limbs tingled and my head felt light, but in a pleasant way. It felt like I was floating. I forgot about my minders and where I was. Instead, I moved wherever my legs decided to take me. I wove through the crowd, making my way to the dance floor.

I put one foot on the dance floor and immediately, a full-grown Dolcivs man grabbed my wrist and spun me in a dance. I giggled and spun with him, but it wasn’t long before a female Dolcivs took my hips in her hand and guided me to her. A human man took me from her, he pulled me close, I could feel his warm breath on my neck. My body tingled as his hands came around me.

Strath’s women pulled me away from him and towards the three of them, together we began to dance. There were no specific steps, it wasn’t that kind of dance. Instead, we moved and writhed together with the rhythm of the music. I traced my hand along the Dolcivs females’ upper arm while another came from behind and kissed the back of my neck.

I had never felt so free and unencumbered. I forgot about the rebellion, my ship and my people back on Earth. I forgot that I was at war with half the people around me. All I knew was the music flowing through my veins and the touches of the people around me. My every sensation was heightened. I could feel, hear and smell everything.

I closed my eyes and swayed with the music. It wasn’t surprising to feel a strong pair of Dolcivs’ hands come around me. I was pulled back against someone. Their hands were exploring me. They cupped my breasts and then traced a line down my stomach and down to my legs. Fingers ran along my neck and my collarbone. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back on this stranger’s shoulders, letting him put his hands wherever he wanted.

I kept expecting one of Strath’s women to pull this man off me. His hands continued to move and still they did not come. Then the Dolcivs male who had been holding me spun me around and I was looking up at the familiar face of Historan Strath. I was surprised, but not in an unpleasant way. I didn’t pull away from him, I didn’t want to. His hands on me were hypnotic and I didn’t want him to stop. I didn’t know where my senses went. I was lost in the sensation of his hands.

He tilted my chin up and I looked into his shining blue eyes. I parted my lips and without hesitation,he was crashing down onto me. His lips met mine. His arms wrapped around me as he lifted me off my feet. I wrapped my legs around his waist as our kiss deepened.

The people around us didn’t even blink at our display. Strath walked us back until I was pushed against the wall. He pinned my arms above my head and kissed me deeply. Our tongues met and danced as I writhed against him.

“I think the drink has gone to your head,” he whispered. He moved to my neck, kissing, licking and biting it. I was helpless underneath his attentions.

My body ached for his touch; my face was flushed. I took deep breaths and looked at the stars above me. They seemed to be spinning, which I knew wasn’t right.

“Everything is spinning,” I whispered into his ear. He stopped kissing my neck. He leaned forward and put his forehead against mine. I stared into his bright blue eyes.

“I think you have had too much to drink. I should let you go, even though it pains me to do so.”

He released my hands and I rested them on his strong shoulders. He looked at me one last time and then slowly lowered me to the ground. I was unsteady on my feet and I reached out for him. I took his large hand in mine. His women were there immediately. He whispered something to one of them and then they surrounded me.

They took me by the arms and led to me a small couch. It was near a pool of clear water where bright yellow fish swam just under the surface. The cool air felt lovely on my flushed cheeks. They brought me a glass of cold water and a plate piled high with food. I ate it all with relish, each bite more delicious than the last. Everything around me seemed to sparkle and shine.

I could see why humans had come to call this place home. Strath was a good ruler who cared about the happiness of his people. He spared no expense at this party and it showed. I wondered, for the first time, about Strath’s offer to keep me here. It was an enticing idea, but I didn’t think it would be possible for me. I wasn’t the kind of person who stayed in one place. I was always running, always moving, but maybe it didn’t have to be like that. Maybe I could stay here, under the protection of this Lost Lord.

All around me people were quieting and the music was stopping. Slowly, a hush fell over the huge open space as everyone turned their eyes up. I saw a raised throne high above us and Strath slowly walked to a platform at the center.

People began to clap and cheer. They screamed out his name, they called out that they loved him. The faces around me were enraptured as they stared up at their leader.

“My people,” he called out and the cheering stopped. He looked around at everyone, smiling down to the crowd. “When my father was forced to abandon his lands, we feared the worst. It was a time of great chaos. But you trusted the Strath family to guide you to safety. We made the great and dangerous journey, we risked all when we took to our ships.

“It was the greatest gamble of our lives. The Regime threatened to hunt us down, to bring us home in chains. But not only have we survived, we have thrived!” Thunderous applause filled the room.

“Everything you see before you belongs to us! We have worked for it and the Regime has no claim to it. We are free and ever shall that freedom remain ours!” Cheers erupted again, so loud that my ears ached.

“My fellows, tonight I command you to eat and drink and love. Leave your worries and care for tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate!”

They loved him, I realized as I looked at the shining faces around me. Even the women from his bed stared up him with rapt gazes. There was no amount of money that could buy this devotion, he had earned it. I looked up at him on his throne and I wondered if my face matched the devoted ones around me.

Chapter Five

I woke up the next morning in a daze. I looked around my unfamiliar room. It took me a long while to remember where I was and what had brought me here. I barely remembered stumbling back to my room after the Festival of Sea and Salt. I dimly remembered Strath’s women guiding me back here and helping me undress, tucking me into bed.

Sitting up, I could see my dress in a crumpled pile in the corner. My pillow was smeared with the remains of my eye makeup. Was it only last night I had worn that glittery toga and danced the strange beat of Dolcivs music? Was it only last night that I had felt so free and unencumbered? Now, as the lights brightened to indicate the morning, the realities of where I was came rushing back to me.

What had happened last night? Had I kissed Strath? No, I had done more than that. I remembered his body pressed up against mine. His tongue on mine. His hands pinning me to the wall. I had wanted it. I had wanted him. If he had taken me right there, I would have given myself to him without hesitation. I would have rather woken up in his bed with his arms around me, than in here all alone. That scared me. I hadn’t come to this system to become the bedmate to some Dolcivs Lost Lord. I had come here to get plans for the rebellion.

I showered and dressed in a loose-fitting toga. I missed my human clothes, my pants and shirts that allowed movement and stealth. The toga was beautiful, but not terribly functional and I felt overdressed in it. I wanted to blend in and I worried the soft flowing robes would be too beautiful to be ignored.

I tried the door, but found, unsurprisingly, that it was locked from the outside. I needed to get out. I needed to get off of this ship. It was too tempting here. The food was too good, the clothes too nice. And then there was Strath. Strath with his strong hands and his taste in human art. He was too good. He was a handsome and charismatic leader and after one drink I had melted in his arms.

That wasn’t who I was. I wasn't some girl who fell head over heels for a powerful man. I was a human and a member of the rebellion. I answered to a higher calling. I was working not for my own good, but for the good of my people.

I had been forcing myself to forget my humanity and my place in the rebellion. I feared that if I thought about it, Strath could read the truth of what I was doing here on my face. I let myself forget, but that had been a dangerous idea. It was too easy to forget, too easy to slip into this life of comfort.

I needed to get off this ship before I was lost to it. Before the grand galas and rich meals started to feel normal. This wasn’t the life I led or the life I wanted. I lived on the edges where it was hard and dangerous. I was a fighter in a war, I couldn’t afford to become soft.

I felt along the wall, searching for the warmth that would indicate a technology junction. I felt it with the palm of my hand, to the left of the door. Using a board from the closet, I pried the wall away. My fingers bled as my nails pulled and pried at the plastic covering. With a grunt and one final pull, the panel came off and I could see the junction box. It took me only a moment to find the connector to the door. I disabled the power and just as I hoped, cutting the power forced the door up.

With a confidence I didn’t feel, I stepped out into the long empty hallway. I didn’t look around me. I walked with a purpose, my eyes straight ahead. I tried to look like I knew where I was going as I headed toward the elevator. I pushed a button to call it and then waited. I forced myself not to fidget. It seemed to take forever. I glanced down the hallway expecting any moment for someone to round the corner and catch me.

The elevator arrived and I stepped inside and stared at the panel. I saw the sign for the hangar bay and pressed that button and felt a familiar pull in my stomach as the elevator began to move. It came to a stop before the hangar bay and my heart stopped as another person stepped in. It was a human male, he nodded at me and I nodded back. Luckily he turned and faced the door. I was grateful he wasn’t trying to make conversation. Thankfully, the ship was so big that there was no way for everyone to know everyone else. To him, I was just another human woman going about my business.

The man got off and I breathed a sigh of relief. I watched as floor by floor the elevator made its way to the hangar. I paced in the elevator. I couldn’t take it anymore. This waiting was driving me crazy. I could be caught at any moment. Did the Dolcivs know that I had left my room? How much time did I have?

The doors opened and I ducked into the hangar bay and hid behind a protrusion in the wall. I peered around the protrusion, looking to see if there were any guards, but the place was silent and nearly empty. Everyone was recuperating from last night, no doubt.

I moved through the hangar bay wishing I had something else to wear. In my fancy toga, I wasn’t blending in very well. I needed a pair of coveralls or something. Above me, I could see several Dolcivs guards and engineers moving about in the control room. So far they hadn’t seen me. I stayed out of sight of the control room and hurried towards the back of the hangar.

I knew that Strath was powerful, but I hadn’t expected an armada of this size. He had what appeared to be dozens of fighter ships of all size with his insignia burned on the side. They lined the walls, looking well-maintained and ready for a fight. I passed underneath feeling naked and exposed underneath their brute strength.

There she was, my baby. Zephyr was her name. It was an ancient word that meant West Wind. The rebellion had captured it from some rogue Dolcivs smugglers and it had been given to me to carry out my missions.

She was a large ship with smooth flowing lines. I spent a lot of time and money making her shine. I loved that ship, warts and all. Compared to Strath’s sleek fighters the Zephyr looked especially dingy. There were dents on the side and scratches from the various dogfights she had been in throughout her long life. But I wouldn’t have traded her for anything.

I could see materials from the inside of my ship scattered about. There were my bed and sheets, there was my couch from the lounge. My pictures and the little treasures I had collected, a calcified bird’s egg, a plate made for me by stranded humans I had picked up on a run. I didn’t like seeing them scattered everywhere as if they were meaningless. They meant something to me. But I would have to leave them behind. There would be no time to gather any of it.

Every last inch of my ship had been ripped apart and searched thoroughly or so they thought. From the rubble, I guessed that they were still stuck on five hiding spots. Only five more to go, I thought with a wicked smile. They would never find them all.

Moving quickly and hunched over, I made my way to my ship. I used my own furniture as a shield moving from couch to chair, hiding behind each piece, slowly getting closer and closer.

There it was, only a few feet away, the door to my ship. I could make it. I would run onboard. They had no doubt disabled my computer, but I was ready for that. I had a backup computer installed on the ship. It didn’t have the functionality of the main computer, but it could activate engines, navigation and life support in an instant and that was all I needed to run.

I just needed to get on board and access the main panel. From there I could start the computer, lock the ship up and blast my way out of there. I paused, did I really want to blast my way out of here? I would make an enemy of Strath if I did. He was a powerful Lord. Wouldn’t it be better to have him on my side rather than as my enemy? He had been so kind to me, it felt wrong to reward his kindness with betrayal and destruction of his hangar bay.

I was hesitating, I had never hesitated before. I wasn’t the kind of girl to overthink my actions. I made a plan and then executed it. But I was learning all new sorts of things about myself on this ship.

I stared at the door, debating what to do. If only I had more time. But the truth was I didn’t and I knew it. The rebellion needed these plans. I didn’t have the time to try and turn Strath to our side as that could take weeks or even months. The rebellion needed these plans today. People were fighting and dying in the war and I had the ability to help them. I had to get the plans and go. I would do minimal damage to Strath’s ship on my way out. Once the plans were delivered, I would come back and try to find some way to make it up to him.

Taking a deep breath, I stared at the door and then decided this was it. I needed to run. I crouched down and just as I was about to rush forward a strong hand came down and grabbed my hair.

I screamed as my head was jerked back. I reached for the hand holding my hair, but it was a Dolcivs hand. I swatted and pulled at it, but it was like an ant fighting an elephant. The guard ignored the blows and scratches from my hand as if they were nothing. I struggled to turn my head and see who had me. I just managed to see a Dolcivs male glaring down at me. His hand tightened its grip on my hair as he pulled me back. I scrambled, struggling to get to my feet and get some control over my actions. But when I managed to get my feet below me, he kicked them and I was down again.

“I wasn’t doing anything,” I called out. “I was just checking on my ship. Let me go!”

But the Dolcivs guard didn’t care. His face remained a permanent grimace. He did not speak or even look me in the eye. He led me to a weapons locker and pulled out a pair of cuffs. He spun me around and pushed me against a wall, locking the cuffs tightly around my wrists. Saying nothing, he pushed me forward towards the elevator.

I shouldn’t have hesitated. That was my mistake. I should have run, but the thought of hurting Strath had stopped me. I held back tears and shook my head to clear them. I would not cry in front of this guard. I needed to be strong. Maybe there was some way I could talk my way out of this.

The elevator went on for a very long time. The guard and I rode in silence. I kept glancing up at him, but I never met his eye.

“Where are we going?” I asked him, but his only answer was silence.

The doors finally opened up revealing a dark and dank prison. A horrible smell hit my nose, the smell of sewage and sweat and misery. This wasn’t like the prison cell I had been in before, this was much, much worse.

It was freezing cold down here. The air was thick with moisture. We must have been near the ship’s coolants. Condensation ran down the walls and dripped into filthy puddles on the rough floor. Haggard looking people peered out from their dark cells. They were emaciated, their eyes sunk deep in their lined faces. They were dressed in rags, the men with thick, dirty beards that hung down to their chest.

The guard opened a cell door and threw me inside. My arms were still trapped behind me and I had no way to catch myself. I fell with a thump, the wind knocked out of me as my jaw slammed painfully against the floor.

I fought my way back to my feet, the guard watching from the other side of the locked bars. Without my arms, it took a long time and I fell back down more than once. When I was finally up, I looked at him desperately and he motioned for me to come to him. Gratefully I walked to him and put my hands at the gate to my cell. He unlocked my cuffs and I quickly backed away massaging my wrists. He left without saying a word.

There was no bed in this cell. Just a pile of straw in the corner with a filthy blanket next to it. There was no toilet either, just an empty bucket. I looked around at the floor, there wasn't anywhere for me to sit without getting wet.

From another cell came the plaintive cry of a woman. She was wailing loudly, a wordless tirade for all of the ills she had suffered. Her wail was unending, a constant cry that stabbed my ears.

“Shut up!” A male voice screamed. “Stop crying. Just shut up!” His voice echoed up and down the hallway making it sound like there were hundreds of men screaming. The woman only grew louder in response.

How had this happened? Just yesterday I had been treated like a king. Dressed and brought to a festival where I ate and drank to my fill. Then I had returned to my own private room with my own soft bed. Now I was stuck down here, waiting for a punishment I knew was coming. Sadly, I piled the hay up in the corner until it made a dry seat. Sitting down, my head fell to my hands. What was I going to do now?

Chapter Six

I barely slept. The woman never stopped crying and I understood why everyone hated her. By morning, I hated her too. At least I thought it was morning. There was no sense of time in this prison. The light was always the same. It was always cold and wet. There was the ever-present sound of water dripping, making the filthy puddles bigger.

I was starving. No food or water had been brought to me and I wasn’t yet desperate enough to sip from the sullied puddles that surrounded me. Instead, I sat on my dry pile of hay with my grimy blanket wrapped around me as I went over every mistake I had ever made.

Footsteps echoed around me. The guards were coming.

I followed them with my ears, ready for them when they presented themselves at the door to my cell. My stomach dropped. Strath wasn’t with them. What did that mean? Had he given up on me? Was he going to let his guards interrogate me? I had utterly ruined everything with him. He must hate me and I couldn’t blame him. He had been nothing but kind to me and at the first opportunity, I had betrayed him. He would never trust me again.

The guards entered my cell and roughly pulled me to my feet. They cuffed me and pushed me out of the cell and down the hallway. The tall Dolcivs guards loomed over me. The other prisoners craned their heads from inside their cells and watched my progress with interest. As we walked, I focused on turning all my emotions off. I couldn’t let myself experience fear or terror. Or tears. I had to be strong.

I didn’t know if I could be strong. I had been trained for this, of course. But I had never been captured before. I tried to recall my training and take some comfort in it. I had to hope that it would be enough. I had to hope that I lived to see the end of this or died before giving any secrets away.

They didn’t put me into the elevator. Instead, we walked past it to a set of heavy iron doors. The Dolcivs guard grinned at me as the door swung open and I was pushed inside, just barely managing to stay on my feet. The room was dark and I couldn't see anything. Then a harsh overhead light was turned on. I winced against the brightness, blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted.

My stomach dropped. It was an interrogation room, a bad one. There were shackles hanging from the walls with red stains on the ground below them. On another wall, there were chains that ended in handcuffs. There were beds with straps to hold people down, chairs embedded with sharp spikes. Everywhere I looked there was some new instrument of torture. I struggled against the guards, trying to push my way to freedom, but my exertion was nothing to them.

They pushed me back. Their hands were all over me as they spun me around and cuffed my wrists to heavy chains bolted to the wall. There was about three feet of chain, I could take two steps, but that was it. The cuffs chafed against my wrists and the chains were heavy.

The guards took a step back and smirked at me before leaving. There were sharp knives in a case, what looked like dental equipment strung up along one wall, pincers, pliers, spikes, branding irons. Every horrible thing that could be used to cause pain was kept in this one small room.

I stared at each instrument imagining what it would do to my body. I could hear my own screams. I could hear myself telling my every secret as I begged for the pain to stop. Eventually, I would beg for death.

I pulled desperately at the chains, putting both of my feet against the wall for leverage. I pulled with all my strength, but nothing happened. The chains were welded to the wall. There was no way a human woman could pull them out. I stretched the length of my chains, struggling to reach the many tools on the walls around me. But they were tantalizingly just out of reach. There was nothing I could do, nothing. There was no escape. The chains were thick, sturdy and short and there was no way out of them.

I don’t know how long I waited. I tried to avoid looking at the instruments of torture around me. I wrestled with the heavy chains praying for some way to get out of this. I was hoping for some miracle that I knew would never come. Where was Strath? Maybe if I could see him I could explain everything. But no, if I did that he would know why I was here, he would know I was working with the rebellion. There was no telling what he might do with that information. He could use it as leverage against the Regime, offer me up in exchange for whatever he wanted.

When the doors opened again, Strath was on the other side. I had been hoping to see him, but when I finally did and opened my mouth to say something, nothing came out. Tears sprung to my eyes. I couldn’t lie to him. He would know immediately and he would take it as an insult. I couldn’t tell him the truth, there was too much at stake.

He took a pair of pliers off the wall and held them in his hand as he walked towards me. I shrunk back away from him, pressing against the wall. I stared at a puddle on the floor wondering how long I would last.

“Did I not treat you well?” He asked me laying the pliers down on a table just out of my reach. “Was I not kind to you? I offered you protection and a comfortable life on my ship and you repay me with theft?”

His voice was low and dangerous. I wished that he was yelling or screaming, I could deal with that. Instead, his voice was vibrating with a barely-controlled anger. Every time he looked at me it was with a furious glare. His playful flirting was gone. His interest in my humanity was gone. There was only anger left in him. I was forced to be aware of his strength, of the power he held over me.

He went back to the wall of weapons and pulled the branding iron off the wall and put it down next to the pliers.

“Do you think I want these used on you?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Didn’t I tell you how to refer to me?” he demanded.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” I replied, but it came out a sob. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me. Was it possible I could see a glimmer of pity there?

“What were you doing?” he asked me.

“Going to my ship,” I answered, my voice a hoarse whisper.

He walked over to me, his footsteps loud and angry. He clamped his hand around my throat and pushed me back against the wall. He wasn’t choking me, but he could if he wanted to. His giant hand could have crushed my windpipe with a simple flex.

“Why?” he demanded, his bright blue eyes were searching mine, scanning my face for any hint of a lie.

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t tell him. I owed it to my people to last as long as I could. I wasn’t ready to betray the rebellion. I shook my head and looked down to avoid the harsh glare coming from his beautiful eyes. His hand tightened around my throat.

“Tell me,” he answered.

I shook my head again. A sob escaped my lips. Tears were falling down my cheek. One fell and landed on his wrist. He looked down at it and then pulled his hand away.

“How long do you imagine you’ll last?” he asked me. “Nothing has happened and already you’re in tears. A pretty thing like you should never have involved herself in a business like smuggling.”

He walked over to me, but instead of wrapping his hand around my throat he brought his hand up and softly caressed my cheek. “You are soft, Andromeda Nus.”

“Do you know the life I could have given you?” he asked. “The pleasures you could have experienced with me? Now look where you are. Look what you have forced me to do.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, my head hanging low, my tears falling and adding their liquid to the puddle below me.

He tilted my chin until I was looking at him. “Say it again,” he said his eyes locked on mine.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated looking deep into his eyes. I was sorry. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. He was caught up in this war the same way that I was. He hadn’t known my real purpose for taking the job or being in this system. He wanted to protect his people from smugglers, from people like me.

He had made a genuine offer to me, but I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t leave the rebellion. The Regime was crushing humanity. They were destroying Earth, killing and enslaving my people. Strath had left the Regime, he wanted no part in the war against humanity. But I did. I couldn’t just walk away. I couldn’t live on his ship and ignore the suffering of my people. I was a fighter and I was going to die fighting.

He nodded once at me. It was the truth and he could recognize that. He said nothing else. He looked at me and shook his head.

“It didn’t have to be like this,” he said over his shoulder.

Then he was gone. He walked out and the door closed behind him.

Straining against my chains I tried to reach for the tray of tools, but it was useless. They had been put just past my reach to taunt me. Finally, I gave up and let the chains go slack. I fell back against the wall, falling down to the wet floor. I didn’t care anymore. I was going to die in this room. Wet or dry, none of it mattered.

Somewhere below me, in the spinning mass of gasses of the red planet, were the plans the rebellion so desperately needed. Would someone else come to get them? Would the plans make it into the right hands? I had no way to know. But I wouldn’t tell Strath about them. I would manage to keep this secret. No matter what they did to me, I would never tell.

I repeated this to myself. It was a mantra I said over and over again until it was true. I would die before I talked.

Chapter Seven

I didn’t know how long it took, but eventually Strath returned. I don’t know if I really slept, or if I just thought I did. I was hungry. The hunger had turned from pain to nausea to a general unending ache. I was also terribly thirsty. My mouth was dry, my lips chapped.

“Stand, inmate,” a guard ordered. I glared at him and stumbled to my feet. My limbs were numb, my wrists were red and raw from the shackles. My arms ached from being tied to the heavy chains. I had to lean against the wall when I stood, my legs couldn’t hold me.

Strath walked in. He looked fantastic. His dark toga hung from his strong frame, his dark hair was shining and neat, his face was clean-shaven. He nodded at the guard who left and closed the door.

He walked wordlessly through the room, touching the chains on the walls and the torture instruments. But I was immune to that now. I had spent hours meticulously going over each and every tool in here. I knew them intimately now. I wasn’t afraid of them anymore.

I was waiting for Strath to speak. Why had he, himself, come down here? Why hadn’t he sent his guards to break the truth out of me? Maybe he was the kind of leader who liked to do this type of thing himself. The thought horrified me.

Finally, he turned to look at me, appraising me from head to toe. I stared back, unafraid, into his bright blue eyes.

“It pains me to see you like this,” he said. It was the last thing I expected to hear. I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. “The guards have been waiting. I can see it in their eyes. They are desperate to have you, to break you. That is why I hired them after all, to break people. Do you want to be broken? Do you want this hot iron burning your precious skin? These pliers ripping out your teeth and your nails? Do you have any idea how painful that is?”

I shook my head. I could imagine, but there was only one way to know and I was desperate to not know.

He moved in front of me, his thumb traced the outline of my lips. I closed my eyes, allowing myself this one moment to enjoy his soft touch. He was so tender and gentle with me. I never wanted him to stop, but eventually, he pulled away.

I opened my eyes and saw his blue ones staring directly into mine. “Tell me,” he whispered. He leaned into me, breathing on my neck, whispering in my ear. “Tell me where you were going. Let me help you.”

“Why do you want to help me?” I asked. “Why?”

“Can you not guess?” he asked. His hands were tracing the lines of my neck. I had to struggle to keep myself from falling onto him. I was ready to crumble and I wanted to just fall into his arms and let him take me from this place.

“I want you,” he whispered. His voice was so low and quiet that for a moment I almost didn’t believe him. “I found out you were the smuggler who was sneaking past my borders. I had my men track you down. When I saw your picture, I was stunned. You were beautiful and smart, but even more than that, you were free. Free like I am free.”

He took a step back and I longed for his comforting touch. The chains on my wrist were heavy, I was tired and hungry. From a bag, he pulled out a container of water. I couldn’t stop the whine that escaped my throat when I saw it.

He walked towards me but stopped a few feet away. Lugging my chains, I walked towards him and the water. The chains lifted off the ground, and then they were stopping me. My arms were pulled behind me as I strained towards the cool drink held in his hands.

Strath tilted my chin up and set the container against my lips. He allowed a small sip to enter my mouth and I swallowed it. I sighed, it was wonderful.

“More, please, My Lord,” I said. He brought the container up again and allowed more to enter my mouth. He let me drink my fill watching me all the while.

“It pains me to see you like this,” he said as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “But it makes sense. You are a bird. It was foolish of me to think that I could contain you.”

I opened my mouth to speak but then stopped myself. He saw the gesture and in two steps he was on me.

“What?” he asked me, “What were you going to say? Tell me.”

“It’s not that, My Lord. I just...I can’t just pick up and leave my life. I have people depending on me.”

“Who?” he asked.

I just shook my head.

He looked at me with a dawning realization. It came over his face slowly, like a sunrise coming over the mountains. He nodded and said nothing as I waited with bated breath. “And you are desperate to return to these unnamed people? So desperate that you would run from me?”

“I don’t want to. I have to,” I said.

I could see in his eyes that he knew. He must have guessed that I was with the rebellion. What would he do? I was ready for him to hit me, or tell me he had to turn me in, but instead he just stared at me. Looking into my soul through my eyes.

“You must? Is it that important to you?” he asked.

“Yes, My Lord. But if you let me leave, if you would let me do this one last thing. I would return to you, I promise.”

“You promise,” he echoed. He was looking into my eyes, searching for a lie, but at that moment, it was the truth.

“Yes, I swear it. I was grateful for your hospitality and I would gladly return to it. But I have something I have to do first.”

“Tell me what it is. I will do it for you.”

“No, My Lord, I must do it.”

He didn’t like that. His handsome face fell into an angry frown. He stomped away from me, walking to the corner of the room where he slammed his powerful hand on the wall. He let out a guttural angry yell and I turned my face away, terrified he might turn that anger back to me.

He nodded. “I am no fool, Andromeda,” he said through pursed lips. “This is a dangerous business and you have no place in it.”

“I’m stronger than I look,” I said.

“Tell me, how much is this worth to you? What would you do for freedom?”

“Anything,” I answered.

He was on top of me, his eyes searching my body and then he was pushing me back as if I was nothing. The heavy chains scraped across the floor and I shuddered when my back hit the cold, wet wall.

“Anything?” he asked. His face was only a few inches away from mine. I could have leaned forward and kissed him.

“Yes, My Lord,” I answered, my voice a heavy whisper.

“Give yourself to me,” he whispered into my ear. “For one night. Come to my chambers and submit to me and in the morning you can have your ship and you may go anywhere you would like. What do you think of these terms, Andromeda Nus?”

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation.

He pulled back as if surprised by my answer.

“Very well,” he said and then to my surprise he produced the key to my handcuffs and undid them. I gasped as the heavy chains fell from my wrists. I stumbled forward, my center of balance off. I had grown used to the weight of the chains. Strath was there, he caught me and held me up.

“The guards will take you to a room where you can shower, rest and prepare yourself for me,” he said.

I looked up at him, so tall and strong above me. “As you wish, My Lord.”

Chapter Eight

The guards came and I was handcuffed and led away between them. The cuffs felt so silly and pointless. What threat could I possibly be to them? They were so much stronger than I was. But I did not fight in any way. I had agreed to this willingly, happily. In some way, it was what I wanted.

It felt strange to be back in my old room. I ran my hands along the thick red fibers of my coverlet. I looked at the screens, seeing the stars reflected back at me. I turned the lights all the way down and let myself breathe. There was food left out for me: bread, meats, cheeses and fruits. It was a bounty, but my stomach had shrunk and I was quickly full.

I peeled my disgusting clothes off and put them in the trash. I let hot water steam the bathroom before stepping into the spray. The water combed through my hair, dislodging all the filth and dirt and hay that had accumulated in the last few days. I turned around and opened my mouth, drinking the hot water, letting it wet my lips. Crying from relief.

I cleaned myself from head to toe. Every last bit of dirt was removed from underneath my fingers. I scrubbed myself roughly with a brush. The soap smelled like lavender, it was rich and silky, far nicer than anything I was used to.

I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around myself. I didn’t even bother getting dressed. I dropped the wet towel at the foot of my bed and climbed between the sheets. The bed was so soft and warm. My eyes were heavy, I struggled for a moment to stay awake.

Was I worried about my deal with Strath? I felt that I should have been, but I wasn’t. I remembered our kiss from the night of the festival. His mouth on mine, the feel of his body, his strength and power had been intoxicating. I had wanted him then. Did I still want him now?

The fact that this great Lord who oversaw thousands was this interested in me seemed impossible. He was surrounded by beautiful women, at least three of them, at all times. I’m sure there were thousands of women on this ship who would have been thrilled to join him in his bed. But out of all of them, he only wanted me.

He thought I was free. He thought I was like him, answering to no master. I wasn’t though. I wasn’t like him. I had a cause I was tethered to. A cause I was not willing to give up.

I drifted off into a deep sleep. While I was sleeping, I had a dream that a man came to me. The room was only lit by the stars on the screen, I could not bear to turn them off before falling asleep. I watched his silhouette against the stars. He entered the room and removed his toga. I could see the strong muscles in his shoulders work as he walked towards me.

He sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hand along my forehead, pushing aside a strand of hair.

With a gasp, I awoke. Strath was sitting above me. He bade me to sit up and when I did, he brought a glass of water to my mouth and I drank eagerly. He put the glass down and cupped my cheek in his hand.

He leaned down and kissed me. I kissed him back, my tongue sliding over his lips and into his mouth. He gripped my hair and pulled me even closer. My hand traced a line down his strong chest.

He broke the kiss and looked down at my wrists, still red from the chains. He shook his head and kissed them both gently, carefully. The sight of this strong Lord in such a tender pose made me want him even more. I broke my hands free of his wrists and wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him in for a kiss.

His hand found my breast and he massaged it gently as we continued our embrace. I broke the kiss letting my head fall back. I wasn’t expecting his touch to be so light. He was so strong, he could crush bricks with his hands, but he was so gentle with me.

His expert fingers explored my body, sparking fire along my collarbone and in the hollow of my throat. Then his mouth replaced his hands. He licked and kissed along my neck. The softness of his lips combined with the scruff of his jaw created an engulfing sensation that made me tremble in his arms. My entire body shuddered and then I could take no more, I pulled his head up again and kissed him hard.

“Come to bed,” I whispered to him. Our foreheads were touching and he nodded and slid between the sheets next to me.

He was on his back and I trailed a line of kisses down his chest and his stomach. He was hard and I grazed him with my lips before taking the length of him in my hand. He moaned and his head fell back as I moved my hand up and down, slowly, teasing him with feather-light touches.

I could have stared at his body all night. Each muscle was well defined and I could not stop from leaning down and kissing his stomach. He grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me to him. His lips crashed against mine. I lightened my touch on him. My fingers just barely grazing his hot skin.

He growled, took me by the shoulders and pushed me down. He knelt between me, my legs on either side of him. I felt suddenly exposed lying like this underneath him. My entire body was open to him. I tried to cover myself, but he gently grabbed my wrist and stopped me. His hands moved up and down my body, touching every inch of me. He massaged my breast and traced a circle around my nipple. He moved lower seizing my thighs in his hands. I could feel his strength as he dug into my flesh.

I was desperate for him to touch me. I didn’t care that he was a Dolcivs and I was a human. I only cared about his touch. I needed relief from the pressure he had built up. I writhed underneath him and he leaned down and took my breast in his mouth.

Arching my back, I strained for his touch. He sat back on his knees and stared down at me, drinking me in. Consuming me with his eyes. As he stared he reached down and took himself in his hand and then slowly, oh so slowly, he pushed himself into me. I gasped as my body adjusted to his size. For a moment, my entire body froze as he thrust into me. But it was only a moment, I was wet and ready for him. He began to move back and forth in a slow rhythm. My hands were on his shoulder, pulling him down to kiss me as he moved slowly in and out.

My fingers curled into fists. He kissed the curve of my neck and I took a ragged breath. I moved with him, lost in the sensations of his hands and lips and the feeling of having him inside of me. Then we were moving. He spun me over until I was on top of him, staying in me the entire time.

I sat up on top of him. He was deep inside of me. Pressing one hand onto his firm chest I began to move my hips back and forth. He grabbed my breasts, holding onto me as we moved together.

“Yes,” I moaned as he touched that part inside of me that was made of fire.

“Yes,” he groaned as I panted above him. Electricity was sparking through my veins. I sped up and a bolt of pleasure coursed through me. Passion was streaming through my veins, building up to a desperate release. I never wanted this to stop. It felt so good. I looked down and saw that he was looking at me, right into my eyes.

My lips parted and I whispered for him to keep going. I begged, the words falling from my lips, my mouth as out of control as the rest of my body. We moved together falling into a rhythm, working perfectly in sync. I had never felt anything like this before. It was overwhelming and uncontrollable and I never, ever wanted it to stop.

A blinding pleasure was pulsing through me.

“Don’t stop, Strath,” I begged. I clung to his shoulders as my entire body tensed and then relief was crashing through me. My body thrashed above him and he pulled me down to his chest as he finished with a few powerful thrusts.

Finally, it was over and I lay on top of him panting. His hands caressed my back as he was breathing heavily into my ear. We were both hot and I rolled off him and onto my back as his hand found mine.

We were both too spent to speak. I just rolled over and felt him follow me. He wrapped his arms around me and I settled back into him. He was warm and soft and within seconds I was asleep.

Chapter Nine

A light went on, pulling me from my deep sleep. Groggy, I stared into the light, it was from the open doorway. There was a Dolcivs female standing there. She spoke softly, but I could not make out what she was saying. Next to me Strath shifted in the bed.

“Thank you,” he said to the woman who quickly left. Strath slowly sat up. I rolled over to face him, running my hands over his muscular back. I remembered last night. The way we had moved together. Would we continue? I wanted there to be more.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. My voice was rough and he handed me a glass of water and I drank it gratefully.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he answered taking the glass from me and then smoothing down my messy bed head. “It’s just morning and I have work to do.”

“It’s morning?” I asked. My internal clock was off. I had no idea how long I had slept. My wrists stung as they grazed the blanket and I remembered the fate I had just narrowly avoided.

“Yes. And as always, I have much to do. Though it is very tempting to lie here in bed with you,” he paused for a long moment and looked at the stars on the screens all around us. “However, you and I had an agreement and you have fulfilled your end. Your ship has been put back together and is ready for you to leave. No one will stop you when you go.”

“Thank you,” I said. I fell back on the bed. My head landing on the soft pillow. It was so tempting to just stay in this bed. To allow myself to become the plaything of this Lord. I could be like one of the three women he kept in his bed. My only obligation to look beautiful and please him.

Who was I kidding? I would never last in such a role. I would get bored and become quarrelsome. I would start trouble. No, I wasn't built for that kind of domesticity.

Strath scoffed, “Perhaps I should be thanking you.”

He stood up and I followed him with my eyes. “Will I ever see you again?” I asked him.

“That’s up to you,” he answered. What did that mean? Did he want me to come back, even with my ties to the rebellion? Would he want me even if I wasn’t as free as he was?

“Goodbye, Andromeda Nus,” Strath said stroking my cheek. “Be careful.”

I nodded. I knew that I should have said something, but I didn't know what. It was like I was holding a bag filled with all of my emotions. I kept reaching in and pulling out a new one: I wanted him, but I wanted to get the rebellion plans, I was attracted to him, but his people were my enemy. I wanted him but I knew I could never have him.

It felt strange to be back in my ship. Strath’s men had done their best to put it back together, but it still wasn’t quite right. Things weren’t where I left them, the settings were built for someone of Dolcivs size. I felt like a stranger in my own home, awkward and confused as I wandered from place to place.

I dallied. I fiddled with my machines, ran diagnostics. I should have just gone, started the engines and been on my way, but some part of me was still hoping that Strath would come. I didn’t know what I wanted him to say or what I wanted to say. I just wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him yet. I didn’t know if we would ever see each other again and I wanted to know what he was going to do. Where was he going to go? It seemed impossible that we had just met and already we were being pulled apart.

Finally, there was nothing left to do but go. I fired up my engines, received permission from the men in the command post and navigated out into open space. I fell into the gravity well of the red giant. From down here I could see the true size of Strath’s ship. It was massive, an entire city filled with thousands on one ship. It was so big it had its own gravitational pull and it was affecting my orbit. Pulling me back to it.

I entered the radio signal needed to locate the data packet. I had it memorized in my head and hadn’t told it to anyone. After everything that had happened, I had managed to keep the rebellion’s plans secret after all. All it had required was the best sex of my life. Not a bad deal.

I wasn’t worried about Strath following me. There was no way his great ship could traverse the thick, dangerous atmosphere of the gas giant. He had smaller vessels that could have survived in it, but it would be hard to follow me in the chaos of the planet’s poisonous gasses.

My ship descended into the gas giant. Red and yellow mists floated around me as one by one my sensors began to glitch and malfunction. The dense atmosphere messed with my equipment. It set off sensors and alarms even though there was nothing there. That’s why this planet was the perfect hiding spot.

I only needed the radio to work in order to locate the data packet. I sent out the signal and waited for the responding ping. There was a probe on this planet with the information. It was looking for me and I was looking for it, we just needed to find one another.

I had been flying for about five hours when my computer picked up a signal from the drone. I located the signal, zooming in on it. Thankfully, it wasn’t far away. I sped up my ship in the direction of it. My sensors were pinging and blinking and going wild. But there was no way to know what was setting them off. The gasses on the planet and the small bits of debris kept giving me false alarms.

I saw the probe, a trashcan-sized hunk of metal floating in the mists. I maneuvered my ship and sucked the probe into my cargo bay. I waited impatiently for the ship's life support to clear the gasses and then finally I was allowed to enter the cargo bay.

I pulled the data stick out of the computer and plugged it into the ship. It was designed for the newest Dolcivs warships. It listed everything: the crew manifest, how many weapons would be on board, weak spots. It was exactly what the rebellion needed.

Suddenly, alarms were going off. The ship rumbled and tilted to the side. I fell over, hitting my shoulder on a bulkhead. I got to my feet quickly and raced to the bridge, the ship rolling and shuddering. Someone was firing across my bow. It was a warning.

I reached the bridge and pulled up the main screen and there, in front of me, was a lone ship bearing the markings of the Dolcivs Regime. My heart stopped, I couldn’t believe this. I had just managed to get the plans and now the Regime was here.

Had Strath given my info to the Dolcivs Regime? No, I couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t part of the Regime, he was a free man and always would be. He wouldn’t betray me. They must have found me on their own.

Panic flooded my brain. I knew now that I would never last under torture. I would tell them everything. I would give them the plans and I would tell them how Strath helped me.

A message came in for me. It was the standard order to shut down my weapons system and prepare my ship for docking. Yeah right, I thought. I kicked on an engine burst and backed away from the ship. Maybe there was a chance I could lose it in the mist. I zoomed into the red mist of the planet going as fast as my engine would allow. But the Dolcivs ship was faster than mine. No matter what I did or how fast I flew, it was always right behind me.

I flew faster, my engines straining. I tried to get lost in the mist, but it was impossible. The Dolcivs ship was too fast. It would have me soon; I wouldn’t last much longer. The Dolcivs ship was broadcasting its message over and over again, but I ignored it. I would rather die than be captured.

I felt their tethers hit my ship, locking on with a strong magnetic force. The Zephyr shuddered and then slowed as the Regime ship reversed their engines and the tethers began to reel me in. This was bad, really bad.

The only way to get rid of them was to cut them off. I fired a missile at the ship, but their countermeasures blew it away. They suffered no damage at all. I shot everything I had at them. I emptied my weapons, but the Dolcivs ship struck them all out of the sky. Their defenses were better than my offenses and slowly I was being pulled into their ship.

I looked around my panel, desperately wondering what was left for me to do. My engines were straining, I was out of weapons, I had a small escape vessel, but it would never survive the dangerous gasses of this planet. I was lost. I was going to lose the plans and then be captured and the Regime would pull out every secret I had.

Just then, just when all seemed lost, another ship emerged from the mist.

It had the markings of Historan Strath. It flew up through the mists and with two quick laser bursts it cut the cords connecting me to the other ship. Once free I zoomed forward, but I didn’t get far before my engines stalled. This most recent battle had been too hard on them. With a loud whine, they shut down and my computer told me it would be at least five minutes before they could come back on.

I was stuck in the mists, but Strath’s ship flew and settled between me and the Regime ship. He had come for me. I couldn’t believe it. He was angering the Regime, all for me. My heart swelled in my chest. I could never repay him for this.

“This is a ship of the Dolcivs Regime on official Regime business. That ship and its Captain are under arrest. Cease your actions immediately,” the ship that had tethered me was announcing this message to both my and Strath’s ship.

“This isn’t a Regime controlled system. This is my system,” was the stern voice of Strath. My heart pounded in my chest as I heard his voice. I wanted to see him. I wanted to be in the same room with him. I wanted to feel his strong presence and his hands on me. “Leave now, or your ship will be destroyed.” The powerful weapons on his ship came to life and I watched the Dolcivs ship back off and then to my relief, it flew away.

Chapter Ten

I docked my ship to Strath’s and waited. I paced up and down my bridge as my engines slowly came back to life. I was worrying my hands, nervously rubbing them together as I waited for him. What would he say? What would he do?

He entered wearing a dark, well-fitting jumpsuit. I wanted to run to him, wrap my arms around him and feel him holding me tight. I wanted his strong arms comforting me and telling me he would always keep me safe, but I held myself back.

He looked around my ship, appraising every inch of it. “Are you alright?” he finally asked.

“Yes. You saved me, how?”

“I had my men put a tracking device on your ship. I’ve been watching you since you left. When this other ship entered the system I knew it was coming for you and I knew I had to beat them.” He stepped towards me and I looked up at him. “When you left, it was like my heart left with you.”

I reached up and put my hand on his chest, over his heart. I could hear the thumping, feel it under my fingers. “I didn’t want to leave.”

“But you had to,” he finished my sentence for me. “Did you get what you needed? That which was so important?”

I nodded, “I almost lost it again, but thanks to you, it’s safe.”

I wrapped my hand around his neck and pulled him down. I needed to kiss him. I needed to know that he was really here. We kissed long and hard, I finally broke the kiss to talk to him.

“I’m not free,” I said, looking up at him. “I’m not and I never can be. I can’t be some woman who just sits around waiting for a man. That’s not who I am.”

“I know,” he said with a nod, as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“It’s easy for you to not be involved in the war. But I can’t. My people are losing. I have to fight for them. I can’t sit back and do nothing.”

“That’s what I love about you,” he said, “your fire and your passion and your wits. I would never take that away from you. I am not truly free either. I am indebted to my people. I must think of them and their safety and happiness.”

“And now because of me, you’re involved.”

He shrugged, “I can handle the Regime. I’m not without my own resources.”

“You could help us, you know,” I said. “I know you appreciate Earth’s arts and culture. If the Dolcivs Regime has its way, all of that will be lost.”

He nodded, “Tell me where you need to go. I’ll go with you. Anywhere you go, I’ll be with you.”

Andromeda smiled, her heart bursting, a tear trickled down her cheek. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this happy. Was she ever this happy, she wondered? Having Strath by her side, she felt she had it all.

*****

THE END