Given to the Alien (Science Fiction BBW/Alien Romance) Page 7

  It was clear to Olivia that he was truthful, she felt that deep in her gut. He had fought the Ethereals many times, she had no doubt about it. He knew what he was doing. And Space Force didn't.

  She reluctantly stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. There wasn't much water on her, but she made sure to carefully remove as much of it as possible and place the special towel in a compartment that would suck the moisture out of it for recycling.

  She wrapped another towel around her waist and stepped out of the bathroom and into the bed compartment that was her quarters.

  She squealed and almost dropped the towel when she saw that there was someone in there, someone big. He turned around. It was Ator'aq, and a satisfied smile spread on his face when he saw her.

  “Exquisite.” He looked at her approvingly, and she covered her chest with her arms.

  “What the hell do you think you're doing! Sir!” she bellowed in her best sergeant's voice.

  The large and unreasonable gorgeous warrior was unaffected by the awkward situation and made no move to turn around or leave or anything.

  He placed both his hands on his belt. “Oh, I thought I'd come get you myself.”

  “Get me? For what?” She dived back into the bathroom.

  “You'll see. No need to wear any... special equipment. Civilian apparel is fine.”

  She seethed inside. What the hell was he doing, entering her quarters without permission? He had gotten a good look at her bare chest, she knew that. It didn't bother her too much. During Space Marine training, lots of the guys had seen more of her than that during some exercises. But dammit, the indignity...

  She wrapped another towel around her upper body and stepped back out. He was still there, looking at the various pictures of Olivia's family that she had pasted on the wall.

  “You come from a small clan, Olivia. Or are these just your favorite relatives?”

  “You know, sir,” Olivia fumed, “it's common courtesy to knock on doors and then wait until someone opens. Just barging in is considered rude in our culture. And in yours too, I'd bet.”

  He frowned. “Nothing I do can be taken as rude, I assure you. I am a general and a warrior. Do you expect me to stand sheepishly in a hallway, waiting for the gracious permission of some young soldier before I can complete my objective?”

  She glared at him, taking some items of clothing out of her little locker. He meant it. “Sir, I do think that privacy should be respected. What if I had stepped out of the bathroom wearing nothing?”

  The alien warrior scratched his chin. “Yes, I see your point. That would have been better, of course. I always enjoy gazing upon the female form. And yours is more female than most. Very well, I concur. Next time, kindly wear nothing at all.”

  “No, I mean...” She saw the futility of trying to explain, and she was pretty sure he had misunderstood on purpose anyway. “I'm just saying, sir, that please don't just enter my quarters at your whim. There's a reason the door was locked.”

  Olivia took some jeans and a shirt into the bathroom to dress with at least some privacy.

  “Really? That was a lock? I thought it was just a primitive opening mechanism.”

  “Where is it that you want me to come with you? Sir?”

  “To our barracks. We want you to join us for our main meal. Not to cook it, I should assure you. Just to enjoy it with us Braxian warriors. You will be the first Earthling ever to do so.”

  Olivia perked up. Her liaison duties were really taking off, it seemed. Already she would be doing something that no one else had ever done. She would leave her exoskeleton behind for once. It was very high-tech, but it still chafed her around the joints.

  She finished dressing and decided not to put on more makeup than just a little around the eyes. They were warriors, and this was not a grand gala.

  “Yes, that's suitable attire,” Ator'aq said when she got out of the bathroom. “Very feminine, and yet not too formal. Let's be away.”

  They walked to the Braxian barracks section. Ator'aq had his huge sword in his belt. He didn't say much, and Olivia couldn't think of much to say. What the heck did he have in mind for her?

  12

  They seemed to use the former hotel restaurant for pretty much everything, but at least it seemed to be well suited for cooking. The Braxians had made good use of the kitchen and had prepared a fragrant and spicy stew from the foods that Space Force had given them.

  “We are unfamiliar with some of the ingredients,” Ator'aq said. “But many of them are very tasty.”

  Olivia recognized beef and potatoes and many different vegetables that she had never heard of being mixed together like that. She gingerly tasted the stew and felt her eyes widen.

  “That's... delicious!”

  Ator'aq smirked again. “I'm glad you like it. Space Force gives us much better food than we're used to, and we want to make the most of it.”

  All the Braxian warriors were there and they all sat down around what was plainly a campfire. At first, Olivia had felt her blood run cold at the idea of open fire inside the space station, but then she saw that it was just a cleverly made illusion. It was nice, too – it flickered like a real fire and created a cozy atmosphere in the otherwise sterile room.

  The ten Braxians under Ator'aq' command closed their eyes.

  “For warriors in the field,” Ator'aq said softly, “the common meal is often their only opportunity to rest their minds and contemplate something other than just the fight. We remind ourselves and each other of why we do what we do, why the sacrifice is necessary. It grounds us. Sometimes, none of that is possible, and we have to cope as well we can. That's fine. We're warriors. But we greatly appreciate this ritual. It is a way for us to remember. And to allow ourselves to feel.”

  Olivia was astonished to see obvious tears running down the cheeks of some of the grizzled warriors.

  “We have all lost our loved ones to the Ethereals,” Ator'aq continued. “All of them. None of us have any family left, except possibly some that might have happened to be on Brax during the Ruin. And they are probably lost, too. If not now, then eventually. We must first be victorious. Then we can rescue Brax and rebuild. If it is possible.”

  One by one, the warriors opened their eyes and took some deep breaths. When all had come out of their reverie, they were all talking and laughing again.

  It was a lively group. Olivia was struck by how different they were. Most were large, of course, and Braxians seemed to be a little bigger than Earthlings on average. But some were very large, some were smaller, some were thin and muscular and some were heavy-set and looked even stronger. Some had long hair, some had short. Some had pale skin, and some were much darker. Some were in their thirties, and one had to be sixty at least.

  They were all alert and agile in their movements, and they all deferred to Ator'aq. It was not an artificial obsequiousness, Olivia saw immediately. They genuinely respected him and referred to him as Lord, the only one among them they called by title and not by name.

  Ator'aq nodded, and that was the signal to start eating. The warriors passed bowls and serving dishes between them, and the atmosphere became boisterous as they enjoyed the taste of the food. Olivia recognized it from her own experience. Space marines were the same way.

  “So you also lost your family,” she said, accepting a plate of piping hot stew.

  “We all did,” Ator'aq said.

  “Lord Ator'aq lost more than most,” the oldest warrior said. “And he talks about it the least.”

  “We all lost everything,” Ator'aq corrected. “It makes no sense to say that some lost more than others. If you have nine siblings and lose them all, have you really lost more than your comrade who has lost his only sister?”

  The warriors around the table grunted in agreement. Olivia got the feeling that this was a topic they didn't touch on too often.

  “It is not a matter of numbers,” the old one said. “But of quality. If you are used to living off the land, this
situation is not much worse than what you were used to. If you are used to life at a royal court, this must seem somewhat crude, our illustrious company notwithstanding.”

  Some laughed, some commented in their own language, and some agreed.

  “Royal court?” Olivia said.

  The old warrior raised his eyebrows. “Lord Ator'aq hasn't told you who he is? Well, it shall not be me who divulges this secret.”

  Everyone chuckled knowingly.

  “Indeed it shall not. Because it is not a secret, it is just a meaningless idea at this point, a memory,” Ator'aq said. Many around the table disagreed, but they did not press the point.

  “You used to be a royal?” Olivia asked.

  “No, not 'used to be', young lady,” the old warrior said. “The royal house of Brax still lives. As long as it does, Ator'aq will be King of Brax.”

  “For what it's worth,” Ator'aq said dryly.

  Olivia was astounded. “You are a king?”

  “In name only. I was never crowned. I became king the moment my father, King Courxt, died during the Ruin. He was obliterated along with everyone else on the capital planet of Deria when the Ethereals struck. Of course, the only thing that remains of the kingdom is old Brax itself.”

  “And us,” another warrior stated loudly. “The Brax Royal Guard.”

  There was loud cheering around the table.

  “To start with,” Ator'aq said, “we were members of a company of military engineers tasked with readying our spaceship for interstellar exploration. I was a young prince back then, but I also held the rank of major and was the second in command of the company. When the Ethereals struck, we decided to pursue them. But not as a ragtag band of vindictive brigands, but as soldiers. So we formed the Brax Royal Guard. Because I was formally king, I inaugurated it.”

  “The ragtag Brax Royal Guards of vindictive brigands,” one said, and there was some laughter.

  “And then you went after the Ethereals.”

  “We knew where they were. They were never good at hiding. They didn't know that we existed. We took off after them and finished the construction of our ship on the way. Since then, we have modified it a lot and made it into a real warship.”

  “And that's the key to winning against them?”

  “Partly. How does one win a battle? Hold the line, surprise the enemy, know the enemy's probable reaction to your moves, keep track of them, don't expose yourself, keep up with them, make sure your soldiers have everything they need to be effective... A good spaceship handles many of those things for us.”

  “And then there's Boniar,” one of the warriors said.

  The room was silent for a moment, and Olivia got the feeling that he had said something he should not have. “Who is Boniar?”

  Ator'aq glared at the man who had spoken out of turn, but the warrior only shrugged apologetically.

  Ator'aq thought for a moment. “I could say that it's none of your business. But you are a guest in our camp. When we happen to reveal secrets to you, secrets that should perhaps have remained secrets, Umi'on, it would be discourteous to clam up. Boniar is an entity that was given to us. Earth is not our first battleground with the Ethereals. We have helped other species and civilizations, too. One of them had a very advanced technology of Artificial Intelligence. It was... gifted to us. In a sense.”

  The warrior called Umi'on snorted. “We stole it. We helped those people chase the Ethereals away, and they didn't even say thanks. We stole their pride and joy, the best AI they had. We called it Boniar after a famous strategist from our past who was said to be able to see the future.”

  Ator'aq nodded. “Yes. We would have been satisfied with a word of thanks. Our honor demanded it. But when none was forthcoming, we took what we thought we needed. After all, we could make better use of it than they could.”

  “What does it do for you?”

  “It was invaluable in designing a strategy against the Ethereals. It connects the dots for us, assembles probabilities, tells us which data to get for it to ponder, shows us the path of greatest probability for success-”

  “It sees the future,” Umi'on said very loudly. And again the room was silent.

  Ator'aq sighed. “I suppose no secret is safe when Umi'on is enjoying his meal. Yes, it is true. It appears to see the future. Which I think is simply a way its superior intelligence puts the pieces together and then states the most probable course of events. While others think that it really does see the future. In a limited way.”

  “Unlimited,” Umi'on said. “You just have to ask the right questions.”

  “The topic of Boniar is hereby closed,” Ator'aq stated with finality. “Olivia, this was something I never meant to bring up. I will ask you to please not divulge this particular secret to anyone else.”

  “Sir, I'm a space marine and a liaison. I'm not going to keep secrets from my superiors.”

  The general pierced her soul with those eyes again. “I know your loyalties, Olivia. And yet I ask you that in this case, you keep it to yourself. I can't force or order you to. It is simply a request.”

  Olivia took a sip of the brew. Not only was she a liaison officer, she was an operative of Military Intelligence. Keeping secrets as big as that from General Wilhelmsen was not something she thought she could do.

  The conversation turned to other things. The Braxians talked freely about each other, their experiences on the space station and their opinions about the Earthlings. Most of them seemed to have hooked up with one or more of the women on the station, who appeared to be almost lining up for an exotic encounter with a Braxian. And who could blame them? The warriors were muscular and manly and seemed not to have a care in the world. And they were known to be Ethereal-killers.

  Only Ator'aq seemed not to have enjoyed that part of the hospitality extended by the Earthlings, and Olivia was secretly delighted. He obviously had high standards. And maybe... No, it was probably ridiculous. But maybe she had a chance here...

  The warriors included Olivia in the conversation, asked her about her marine training and seemed to appreciate her answers. It made her feel like an actual warrior, or at least a soldier. She could really start to like the Braxians.

  The drink they have given her had to have some alcohol in it, but not too much. Just enough for a nice buzz and for the conversation to flow well.

  After a while Ator'aq stood up, and so did everyone else. They bowed their heads while Ator'aq said a short prayer of some kind, and then some of the men started cleaning up and others left the common room. Olivia looked at her watch. It was pretty late.

  “Would you do me the honor of a stroll in the moonlight?” Ator'aq said and opened the door to the corridor. He peered outside. “Or the earthshine, I suppose. Not sure we can see that moon of yours from here.”

  “Sure.” Olivia came with him outside. The whole meal with the easygoing warriors had been a great experience. She understood them better, and now she probably knew them better than anyone else in the Solar system. And she had some interesting information for General Wilhelmsen.

  “Might be just as well that we can't see the Moon,” she said. “After the Ethereals destroyed the colony, most people don't like to look at it and be reminded. Did you know they left a huge crater there that looks like a screaming face when you see it from Earth? It's like it was on purpose.”

  Ator'aq nodded. “It was, no doubt about it. They're known for those little details, adding insult to grievous injury.”

  “Pretty nasty.”

  “Yes. But their days are numbered. I'm coming for them.”

  “Do you really think you can win against them? I mean, they seem to travel between the stars easily, and they have weapons that are a little more powerful than swords.”

  “Of course we will win. If not, I would probably not keep hunting them. I'm sure everything will become clear to you in time.”

  They walked slowly down the gallery with a view of the Earth, then left the Braxian section of the station. Th
e Space Force guards at the door saluted, and Olivia had to think for a second before she remembered that she was now an officer and saluted them back.

  They walked aimlessly into the space station. There were very few people to be seen, apart from military personnel on duty. It was still night time by the station schedule.

  Olivia was acutely conscious of the large alien walking beside her, his large body and his easy steps. She was close enough to feel his body heat radiating from him, and the fresh scent he emanated filled her nostrils. He had opened up to her, showed her his warriors in private, and the trust it spoke of moved her.

  She suddenly remembered that this amazing specimen of a man had seen her bare chest only a couple of hours earlier, that he had liked what he saw, and now she wished that she had shown him even more. The thought sent a hard tingle to her crotch. What if...

  No, she was under orders. Don't fuck this up, Cooper! Talk about something else!

  “You lost everyone in your family to them, huh? The whole royal family?”

  “Everyone except one elderly uncle, who was and maybe still is on Brax. We always had one royal living there as a symbolic way to show that we hadn't abandoned the planet that gave us life and was the springboard for our kingdom in the stars. He may be dead now, for all I know. Anyway, we were never close. So I lost my parents, the king and queen, six siblings and three little nieces and nephews. But like I said, all my men lost everyone. We all have huge holes in our souls where our families used to be.”

  “I'm sorry,” Olivia said. “I can't even imagine.”

  “Losing a single family member is bad enough. Losing them all either destroys you or makes you determined to the point of insanity. Almost. It was probably easier for me because I was still in charge. When you're in charge, and you have your duty, you have your responsibility still. It forces you to come to terms with what has happened. You have to go on. Others depend on you and look to you for direction and leadership. It gives you something else in life, something important to keep holding on to.”