Saved by the Alien Alpha: Alien Scifi Romance Page 2

  “I still can’t believe you want to go up there. There’s nothing to see that I couldn’t explain from down here.”

  “Maybe. But we don’t know that, do we? I’d prefer to see for myself.”

  “Never in my life have I seen you back down once your mind was made up. Don’t know why you’d start today. You’re determined to save the world, aren’t you kid? Opening their minds to a better future?”

  “If I can, Tom. And so are you. That’s why we’re here.”

  “That’s my girl.” He smiled warmly, giving me a firm slap on the back. “Alright, kid. Let’s do it.”

  We crossed the field from the small office near the substation out to the turbine. The towers loomed above us like white behemoths. They were the Colossus of Rhodes, promising an abundance of renewable energy. I was taken with the majesty of the site, but I wasn’t at all prepared for the noise. The wind roared fiercely out in the open, but the low hum and churn of the turbines was outright deafening.

  Finally, we reached the entrance to the tower. Tom threw open the hatch leading into the ground floor control room and immediately punched his passcode into the small handheld unit. The rotors groaned to a halt, leaving us in silence.

  “I wasn’t prepared for the noise.”

  “Most folks aren’t. That’s why we have to build the wind farms way out here. It’s an enormous, powerful machine. Lots of moving parts, and lots of power.”

  “Sounds right up your alley,” I said. “Just like working on the boat, huh?”

  “Just about. But two-hundred feet in the air. I do love this job. You ready?”

  I nodded and double checked my harness, giving him the thumbs up.

  “Let’s do it.”

  Tom clipped his massive D-ring carabiner around the side of the ladder and started to climb. “Just like I showed you before. Make sure you’re secured before you move on to the next one.”

  “Of course,” I said, wrapping my hands around the steel frame as I climbed up behind him, unfastening and re-securing the carabiner every few steps.

  “I know it’s tedious, Ash, but you have to have respect for the tower. People don’t realize how dangerous this line of work is. I enjoy the challenge and the thrill. But the minute you take your mind off what you’re doing, you’re in trouble.”

  I finally pulled myself up onto the half-moon platform, where we transitioned into a small lift cage to continue our ascent to the top. “It’s a good thing you’re not afraid of heights,” he said as the elevator clanged its way up the shaft.

  The elevator stopped about ten feet from the top of the tower, leaving one final ladder to climb before we entered the nacelle. “Takes some effort to get up here,” I said as I began my ascent up the final ladder.

  “Takes some effort to get down, too. But I don’t mind it a bit. We get up here to check each tower three times a year. It’s a small price to pay to make sure everything is working the way it’s supposed to. Everything has to stay in perfect adjustment.”

  “I appreciate what you’re doing, Tom. You didn’t have to take me along.”

  “Nonsense. It was the least I could do. It’s because of people like you, spreading the word about wind power that I even have a job. It’s people like you that are going to change things for all of us.”

  “It’s a small step,” I said.

  “But it’s an important one. People don’t like to change. You can talk their ears off about oil wars and carbon emissions. Even if they agree with you, they’re too stuck in the system to do anything differently. People like you change the world, Ashley.”

  A blast of heat hit me as I finally poked my head up into the cramped compartment that housed the bulk of the turbine’s inner workings. “Is it always this hot up here?” I asked as I unclipped my harness and moved the far end of the nacelle to make room for Tom.

  “Always,” he said. “Lots of moving parts up here. There’s a cooling system for the generator, but that doesn’t mean it’s comfortable.” He popped open a small control panel and threw the switch to open the wings of the nacelle. “Lucky for us, we have a little bit of air conditioning.”

  The corrugated metal floor vibrated beneath me as the sky opened up above us, giving a clear view of the Rockies glowing vibrant pink in the early morning sun. “It’s beautiful up here.” I snapped a few quick photos, knowing that they would never match the experience of the wind on my face. Some things have to be experienced to be appreciated.

  “Over there,” Tom said pointing back towards the still rotor blades, “are the instruments that guide the system. Those sensors make sure the blades are tilted correctly and pointed the right direction to maximize the energy conversion. They feed all the information back over to these motors that control the pitch and the yaw.”

  “Like you said, a lot of moving parts.”

  “My specialty.” Tom smiled. “When everything is powered on,” he said, “it all feeds back into this generator and through an inverter. Which is why we’re up here today. The feed from number fifteen here wasn’t giving us a clean transfer, so I need to check the electrical system. Probably a loose connection to the transformer.” Tom slid his thumb beneath the edge of the hatch and pried it open to reveal the control board.

  A fountain of sparks erupted from a live wire, flashing intensely as they arced from the control board into the shaft of the generator. The oil lubricating the shaft lit up in a white hot blaze, cutting me off from Tom.

  “Shit. Shit. Shit. Not good.” He reacted instinctively, his years of emergency training in the Navy still evident after all these years. “There’s a fire suppression kit here by the hatch, if I can get to it.” Tom retreated towards the ladder, stepping out of the way as the surge of heat blew towards him.

  The fire spread quickly as the howling wind of the open nacelle fueled the raging flames. “Tom!” I cried as the monster of hellish red licked at the walls, threatening to swallow the place whole. Thick black smoke blurred my view as Tom disappeared behind the wall of flames.

  He called out to me in desperation, but the fury of the wind and the deafening cackle of flames swallowed his words as the walls of the chamber lit up between us.

  Get out of here! You’re not going to survive this.

  As the turbine cracked, the walls began to melt around us and the drive shaft clattered to the floor, blocking my access to the ladder. Lost in the suffocating embrace of thick black smoke, I couldn’t see Tom anymore. He would have known what to do, but that didn’t matter now. I was running out of time. I was running out of options.

  Dropping to the floor, I attempted to stay beneath the smoke, but a fiery hunk of metal tore from the wall and lodged itself between me and the ladder. The flames grew closer, threatening to consume me. I wouldn’t be able to escape that way. Even if I got through the wall of fire with only minor burns, which would be a stupid risk to take, the exit was blocked off. There was only one way out of here.

  I climbed up onto the open hatch. Maybe the flames would burn themselves out without devouring the tour, but it didn’t seem likely. They were spreading too fast. And the realization of what I had to do hit me with frightening clarity.

  I had to jump.

  But the ground was two hundred feet beneath me. I didn’t really think I was going to survive, but I was out of options. I felt the fire licking hungrily at my heels, forcing me closer to the edge of the wing. Maybe If I braced myself just right, bent my knees and rolled out to absorb the impact…I doubted my sanity.

  But the writhing red beast had caught up with me, its flames toying with me like a cat with a cornered mouse as it spread up onto the open wing of the nacelle. The hinges and the bolts glowed red in the heat. It was going to snap. I had to jump.

  I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and threw myself off the tower.

  Chapter 4

  Ashley

  I stirred in the comfort of my bunk, stretching my neck to relieve the cramped muscles. The pillow was soft beneath my head, and t
here was no need to open my eyes yet. The delicate aroma of lavender wafted into my nostrils as the long, slow droning hum of a machine whirred in the background. The sound was soothing, like a blanket of white noise wrapped around my aching body. A feeling of peace and serenity washed over my body, and I let myself drift in the relaxing ocean of half-sleep.

  “Ashely.” I heard his familiar voice again, strong and comforting. Jak’s voice complemented the feeling so perfectly that it took me moment to realize that it was coming from beside me. My eyes shot open as I scurried back onto the bed.

  “It’s okay, Ashley. You’re safe now.”

  “Safe? Where am I? What the hell is going on?”

  Jak spoke softly, his posture relaxed and open. “Everything is okay, Ashely. I’ll explain it all to you in time. But first, I need you to relax. I’m already going to be facing the wrath of the Captain when he learns that I brought you here. But I didn’t have a choice. No one could have survived that fall.”

  The flood of memories came rushing back into my mind. The tower. The fire. My decision to jump, and… “TOM?” I cried. “What happened to Tom? I lost track of him and I couldn’t get out and…”

  “Tom is going to be fine. He’s in the medical bay receiving treatment for his burns, and he’s expected to make a full recovery.”

  “The medical bay?” I looked around slowly. The room was familiar, the gunmetal gray walls of the cabin, glowing with a soft white light. The tranquility, openness, and luxury. It was just like my vision. I had been here before. “We’re on your ship.”

  “Believe me, Ashley, this is not the way I wanted it to happen. But you didn’t leave me much choice. The way you leapt off the tower, I had to make a decision fast.”

  “You brought me here?”

  “I almost didn’t reach you in time. But I couldn’t let you fall to your death. Making that jump was pretty crazy, even for you. ”

  “Snatching me from thin air to bring me to your ship is crazy,” I said.

  “Would you rather I let you die?” Jak looked uncomfortable for the first time since the conversation began. His careful composure and soothing tone betrayed a moment of hurt that I didn’t quite grasp. “I couldn’t do that. Not with you.”

  “The connection?” I asked.

  “Yes.” He lowered his body back into the chair where he’d been waiting for me to wake. “Because since your consciousness revealed itself in the field, the invisible threads of our bond have grown stronger. Intertwined. And losing you now would be like severing a piece of my own body.”

  I studied the strong lines of his face as he spoke. He was even more attractive in person than in the ethereal visions we had shared, and I felt my heart slamming against my chest as I admired his body. Broad shouldered and muscular, with a presence in his posture that exuded self-confidence - not of self-important conceit but calm assuredness and certainty. I wondered if he could detect the change in my breathing, feel the way my skin flushed at the sight of him. I was overcome by the desire to feel the touch of his skin.

  “But I don’t know anything about you,” I said as my brain slammed on the brakes. “And I didn’t sign up for any of this. I never volunteered to be your lifemate.”

  “No Ashley, you didn’t.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “You do have a choice in this. There’s not anything I can do to change the process that has been set in motion for me. The connection is a physical, biological process in my people.” He extended his hand to me, grasping my palm in his. I felt a spark of electricity and pleasure surge through my body as our skin connected.

  “But our biology is just different enough that you may not be affected by it the same way. Unless you choose to let me in.” As Jak closed his hands around mine, his skin began to glow with a warm translucent blue. It beat and pulsed in unison with his heartbeat. I felt the warmth of his skin rushing through my body, each electrical pulse of light sending a wave of pleasure coursing through me. I leaned in closer to him as he held my body close, pressing me against his chest.

  “It’s beautiful, Jak,” I whispered. The light glowing through him spread up his arms and his chest, bathing us both in its warm glow. It felt so easy to lay in his arms. The trauma of the tower receded into nothing, and I felt safe for the first time in as long as I could remember. The protests of my rational mind, the fear and pain and mistrust of people’s intentions that had ruled my personal life faded receded into the background of my mind. And I knew, somehow, that he would never, could never hurt me, and that we were stronger together than we could ever be alone.

  Jak cupped my face in his hands and pulled me closer to him, tracing the curves of my face and sending a surge of arousal deep between my legs. I wondered what it be like to feel his body inside me. It had been too long since I’d been with anyone else. Maybe it was time to let the past go. To open my heart and my body and let someone in. It wouldn’t hurt to at least get to know him. Give him a chance.

  “You have a choice, Ashley. The T’Kali and the Human are quite similar in many ways. Our DNA is nearly identical. But it appears that you’re not affected in quite the same way.” The light faded from his body as he released my palm, leaving my skin feeling cool and bereft.

  “Our connection, our link to one another, is something that you had to work to establish. To me it’s as natural as breathing. And it’s present all the time. I can feel your emotions, your love, your fear. I knew you were in danger down in the tower, and I responded the only way I could.”

  “It’s not that I’m ungrateful…It’s just…this is a lot to take in.”

  “And you’re still recovering from the trauma of the accident. You must be starving,” he said as he slid open a panel in the wall, revealing a small holographic display. With a few graceful gestures of his hand, the machine came to life and within seconds produced a tall glass of glowing blue liquid. “Please, drink this.”

  I took a sip, cautious at first. It tasted sweet, like mango and pomegranate. The bubbles effervesced on my tongue. “It’s delicious. What is it?”

  “Nothing extravagant. A nutritional supplement, with flavor is designed to mimic the taste of the kanshi fruits of my home world. You need the nourishment. The process of transport can be unsettling so it’s best it we let you recover slowly. This should keep you hydrated and get your electrolytes back in balance. We can arrange for something more substantial after you’ve had more time to recuperate.”

  I finished the drink quickly, not realizing how parched I’d been. My mind came sharply back into focus as the nourishment permeated my cells.

  “I need to get back to the bridge. I’m expecting a critical update from my lieutenant. My decision to bring you aboard this ship…Might change things for everyone, and I need all the information I can get. I have to discuss the situation with the Captain and hope that…” Jak halted and looked away from me. “Why don’t you catch up on your rest? I’ll return as soon as I can. It won’t be long. I promise.”

  Between the chaos of the accident and the flood of arousal from Jak’s touch, I hadn’t taken the time to get my bearings and think too much about it. But there were definitely a few things that needed explaining.

  “I’m sure you have plenty of questions,” he said. “And there will be time to address them all, Perhaps I can show you around the ship later. We can get to know each other a little bit better, and there are more than a few things here that I’m sure you’d be interested in seeing. For now, try to sleep.”

  “Sure. ‘Welcome aboard my alien ship, the most interesting place you’ve ever been. Your whole entire life and everything you thought you knew has been turned upside down in a matter of minutes. But don’t worry about it, go to sleep.’ Brilliant plan, Jak. Thanks.”

  The corners of his mouth lifted into a smile as his eyes lingered on my body. I was relieved to know my sarcasm didn’t put him off. He reached out and lifted my hand again, dropping a small steel cylinder between my fingers. “This is an amplifier,” he said. “
If there’s anything you need while I’m away, just hold it between your finger and thumb.” He ran his hands up my forearm, his fingertips leaving a luminous trail of warm light as he wrapped my hand around the amplifier. “Think of what you need, imagine it vividly. And I will see the image in my mind,” he said. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

  He disappeared through the door, leaving me alone in his quarters with nothing but time and my thoughts, my skin still tingling from his touch.

  Chapter 5

  A’Jakri

  “As you requested, sir. I did my best to make their case,” said Lieutenant Callum as he transferred the latest version of the report to my handheld.

  “Thank you, Callum.”

  I studied the holographic image emanating from the display, searching for something I could use to persuade Captain T’ankata Ro to give humanity time to find their way. My own analysis, based on what I had learned about them, showed that they had potential and that they were worth saving. Even if it weren’t for my personal stake in the matter and my growing attraction to Ashley, protecting them was the right thing to do.

  But Captain Ro wasn’t prone to taking unnecessary risks, especially with a decision that could upset the balance of Galactic civilization. A hardened and analytical career military officer, Ro’s track record of perfect mission completion was a result of never leaving anything to chance.

  Swiping through the pages of the carefully compiled report, I had to admit the situation looked grim. There were just too many unknowns; their free will made them unpredictable. And while there was no shortage of evidence in the analysis showing that many of them valued the long term prosperity of cooperation over the short term benefits of selfishness and greed, there was no guarantee that there would be a critical mass of change before the tipping point. Especially when those in control fought tooth and nail to resist any kind of threat to the existing power structure.

  “The report is inconclusive at best,” Callum said. “I’ve never seen a species with such a high level of autonomy. Their free will makes them unpredictable. Predicting the trajectory of their future defies all our usual means of analysis.”