Friend or Foe?
by Megan Venturino
Cale sighed as his ship docked at the refueling station. He and Akima were supposed to be on their way to pick up the passengers from a spaceship that had broken down on its way to the human's new planet. However, Cale's own spaceship had run out of gas half-way there. The young man smiled apologeticly at the purple-haired girl in the seat beside him.
"There's a restaurant in here. Want to get something to eat while the ship is getting filled up?"
Akima sighed in frustration. "If you had refueled before we left New Earth-"
"Planet Bob," he corrected her.
She smiled a little."Whatever. Let's just go eat."
Upon entering the small, but crowded restarurant, Cale found a few empty stools at the bar and pulled Akima over to them. The couple took a seat and picked up a menu. As they looked over the food choices, Cale glanced at the alien sitting one stool away from Akima. It was a female Akrennian. He poked Akima in the ribs.
"That remind you of anyone?" he whispered.
Akima glanced over her shoulder then focused her eyes back on the menu. "Preed." she stated with a bit of distaste in her voice. She shook her head. "I still can't belive he betrayed us. Preed was willing to kill us all - after all we had been through togeather."
"Well, he got what he deserved," Cale replied. "At least the scumbag is where he belongs: burning in he-"
"Hey now," interupted a femminine voice. "There's no need for such language. Especialy if you are talking about Preed."
Cale and Akima turned to look at the female Akrennian who had spoken.
"How did you-?" Akima started.
The Akrennian smiled. "These big ears aren't just for looks. I can hear what the people are saying on the other side of the room." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "So you knew Preed?"
Akima nodded. "You did too?"
"Me and Preed go way back. I knew him when he had both ears and all of his skull. Oh, my name's Kiken, by the way."
"Akima"
"Cale. Were you and Preed close?"
Kiken shrugged. "It was hard to tell with Preed. He could lie straight to your face and you would never know it. I'd like to think that we were friends, but we double-crossed each other so much that I really can't say. One minute we'd trying to kill each other, then the next minute we we'd be trying to kiss each other."
"So Preed was pretty much a rotten guy from the start?" Cale asked.
"He wasn't rotten; he was smart," Kiken told the couple. "He knew that no one can be trusted, and he made wise decisions to keep himself alive." Her expression suddenly turned sorrowful and she looked down at the contents of her cup. "But in the end, he took a foolish gamble and lost his life."
Cale and Akima dropped the conversation for a moment as the bartender took their orders. When they were through, Akima turned back to the Akrennian.
"How did Preed act so . . . good? He was annoying at times, but I never suspected him to be on the Drej's side."
"He was a incredible actor." Kiken got a far away look in her eyes. "I was fooled several times before I learned not to trust him." She giggled. "He was such a flirt. If it was female and alive, he'd make a move on it. But then again, I was much the same way back then. That was how we met, actualy . . ."
****************************((Flashback))****************************
Kiken looked up from her menu as her friend beside her let out a soft wolf-whistle.
"Would ya look at that?" The Akrennian whispered.
"Whatcha see, Faia?"
"Some gorgious-hunk-of-Akrennian, my friend."
Kiken smiled at her friend's enthusiasum as she ordered her drink. "He's that good-looking, huh?"
"You have to see it to believe it."
"All right, let's see this 'gorgious-hunk-of-Akrennian,'" she said, turning around on the barstool "Hel-lo!" She grinned.
Faia giggled. "You see him?"
"I don't see any other male Akrennian in this bar."
"Why don't you go introduce yourself?"
"I think I will," Kiken said with a mischievious glint in her eyes. Sliding off her stool, she crossed the floor to where the male Akrennian stood. He noticed her aproaching and muttered something to a human standing beside him causing the man to laugh.
"Good evening, my dear," the Akreennian purred, grinning down at her.
"Good evening. Care to join me and my friend over there for a drink or two?" Kiken asked, nodding towards Faia.
"I was just going to ask you the same thing." He chuckled, obviously looking her up and down.
"Wonderful. I'm Kiken."
"My name is Preed." He made a big show of bowing and kissing her right hand. Kiken -your name is of the formor Earth language, Japaneese; it means 'danger.' Am I correct?"
She smirked. "My, aren't you the intelligent one?"
"I know a few languages." He smirked. "I wonder if your personality fits your name . . ."
"I assure you it does." She smiled seductively. "So, what brings you here out in the middle of nowhere?"
"Just a little detour from my usual route. I am a humble slave trader." He grinned slyly at her. "But, I'd be willing to become your slave for the night."
Kiken chuckled and pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I'm a professional flirt. Cheesy pickup lines don't work on me."
Preed stood up to his full heighth, keeping a charming smile on his face. "So sorry, my dear. I didn't recognize you as a professional. Well, I suppose I can skip all of the 'lines' and go staight to Plan B."
"And what is Plan B?"
He slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "This." When she did not protest, he leaned down to kiss her but was stopped by the sound of a gun going off. The blue laser light flew through the air, hitting the human standing beside Preed. The human was a pile of goo in a matter of seconds.
Kiken's eyes went wide and she looked over Preed's shoulder. "Drej!" she gasped.
Preed grabbed Kiken's wrist and pulled her away from the blue aliens. They dove behind the bar and waited as the Drej shot several bystanders. The aliens said something in their native speech and then left.
"What was that about, I wonder?" Preed asked, slowly peering over the bar.
"They said that the human they were looking for was not here."
He curiously looked down at the female beside him. "You speak Drej?"
Kiken smiled proudly. "Like yourself, I'm fluent in several languages."
"Drej is one language I don't know."
Kiken stood up. "I'd be happy to teach you . . . for a price."
Preed stood as well, chuckling. "Ah, a girl after my own heart. Would you like to discuss the price over a drink?"
"I'd love to."
****************************((Flashforward))****************************
Kiken smiled fondly at the memories. "After that, we got to know each other a little and started working as a team. Though, we didn't really open up to each other untill the day he lost his ear."
Cale cleared his throat. "Yes, well, as facinating as this all is, I think me 'n Akima should get going."
"Akima? Kiken?" asked a voice.
Akima looked behind her to see an older man with greyish-black hair and bright blue eyes. "Janon!"
Cale gave the man a suspicious look. "You know this guy?"
"He was a friend of Korso's," Akima explained. "although I don't know how he knows Kiken. He is the captain of his own ship."
Janon nodded in greeting. "So, what are you all doing out here?"
"We're out of fuel," Akima shot Cale a annoyed look.
Kiken shrgged. "I'm visiting old friends."
"Well, while you're waiting, do you want to come aboard my ship? She's the biggest one from New Earth."
"Planet Bob," Cale corrected.
Kiken laughed. "I'd love to see your ship, Janon."
The group exited the bar and made their way to the immense ship docked nearby.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Janon said as he led them into the ship. "We picked up an extra crewmember in sickbay. I think you might want to see him."
"Is it someone we know?" Cale asked.
"You could say that."
Captain Janon paused infront of two large grey doors and motioned for them to follow him through. All eyes focused on the only occupant of the large sickbay.
Kiken's hands flew to her mouth in surprise. "It . . . it can't be!"
by Megan Venturino
Cale sighed as his ship docked at the refueling station. He and Akima were supposed to be on their way to pick up the passengers from a spaceship that had broken down on its way to the human's new planet. However, Cale's own spaceship had run out of gas half-way there. The young man smiled apologeticly at the purple-haired girl in the seat beside him.
"There's a restaurant in here. Want to get something to eat while the ship is getting filled up?"
Akima sighed in frustration. "If you had refueled before we left New Earth-"
"Planet Bob," he corrected her.
She smiled a little."Whatever. Let's just go eat."
Upon entering the small, but crowded restarurant, Cale found a few empty stools at the bar and pulled Akima over to them. The couple took a seat and picked up a menu. As they looked over the food choices, Cale glanced at the alien sitting one stool away from Akima. It was a female Akrennian. He poked Akima in the ribs.
"That remind you of anyone?" he whispered.
Akima glanced over her shoulder then focused her eyes back on the menu. "Preed." she stated with a bit of distaste in her voice. She shook her head. "I still can't belive he betrayed us. Preed was willing to kill us all - after all we had been through togeather."
"Well, he got what he deserved," Cale replied. "At least the scumbag is where he belongs: burning in he-"
"Hey now," interupted a femminine voice. "There's no need for such language. Especialy if you are talking about Preed."
Cale and Akima turned to look at the female Akrennian who had spoken.
"How did you-?" Akima started.
The Akrennian smiled. "These big ears aren't just for looks. I can hear what the people are saying on the other side of the room." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "So you knew Preed?"
Akima nodded. "You did too?"
"Me and Preed go way back. I knew him when he had both ears and all of his skull. Oh, my name's Kiken, by the way."
"Akima"
"Cale. Were you and Preed close?"
Kiken shrugged. "It was hard to tell with Preed. He could lie straight to your face and you would never know it. I'd like to think that we were friends, but we double-crossed each other so much that I really can't say. One minute we'd trying to kill each other, then the next minute we we'd be trying to kiss each other."
"So Preed was pretty much a rotten guy from the start?" Cale asked.
"He wasn't rotten; he was smart," Kiken told the couple. "He knew that no one can be trusted, and he made wise decisions to keep himself alive." Her expression suddenly turned sorrowful and she looked down at the contents of her cup. "But in the end, he took a foolish gamble and lost his life."
Cale and Akima dropped the conversation for a moment as the bartender took their orders. When they were through, Akima turned back to the Akrennian.
"How did Preed act so . . . good? He was annoying at times, but I never suspected him to be on the Drej's side."
"He was a incredible actor." Kiken got a far away look in her eyes. "I was fooled several times before I learned not to trust him." She giggled. "He was such a flirt. If it was female and alive, he'd make a move on it. But then again, I was much the same way back then. That was how we met, actualy . . ."
****************************((Flashback))****************************
Kiken looked up from her menu as her friend beside her let out a soft wolf-whistle.
"Would ya look at that?" The Akrennian whispered.
"Whatcha see, Faia?"
"Some gorgious-hunk-of-Akrennian, my friend."
Kiken smiled at her friend's enthusiasum as she ordered her drink. "He's that good-looking, huh?"
"You have to see it to believe it."
"All right, let's see this 'gorgious-hunk-of-Akrennian,'" she said, turning around on the barstool "Hel-lo!" She grinned.
Faia giggled. "You see him?"
"I don't see any other male Akrennian in this bar."
"Why don't you go introduce yourself?"
"I think I will," Kiken said with a mischievious glint in her eyes. Sliding off her stool, she crossed the floor to where the male Akrennian stood. He noticed her aproaching and muttered something to a human standing beside him causing the man to laugh.
"Good evening, my dear," the Akreennian purred, grinning down at her.
"Good evening. Care to join me and my friend over there for a drink or two?" Kiken asked, nodding towards Faia.
"I was just going to ask you the same thing." He chuckled, obviously looking her up and down.
"Wonderful. I'm Kiken."
"My name is Preed." He made a big show of bowing and kissing her right hand. Kiken -your name is of the formor Earth language, Japaneese; it means 'danger.' Am I correct?"
She smirked. "My, aren't you the intelligent one?"
"I know a few languages." He smirked. "I wonder if your personality fits your name . . ."
"I assure you it does." She smiled seductively. "So, what brings you here out in the middle of nowhere?"
"Just a little detour from my usual route. I am a humble slave trader." He grinned slyly at her. "But, I'd be willing to become your slave for the night."
Kiken chuckled and pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I'm a professional flirt. Cheesy pickup lines don't work on me."
Preed stood up to his full heighth, keeping a charming smile on his face. "So sorry, my dear. I didn't recognize you as a professional. Well, I suppose I can skip all of the 'lines' and go staight to Plan B."
"And what is Plan B?"
He slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "This." When she did not protest, he leaned down to kiss her but was stopped by the sound of a gun going off. The blue laser light flew through the air, hitting the human standing beside Preed. The human was a pile of goo in a matter of seconds.
Kiken's eyes went wide and she looked over Preed's shoulder. "Drej!" she gasped.
Preed grabbed Kiken's wrist and pulled her away from the blue aliens. They dove behind the bar and waited as the Drej shot several bystanders. The aliens said something in their native speech and then left.
"What was that about, I wonder?" Preed asked, slowly peering over the bar.
"They said that the human they were looking for was not here."
He curiously looked down at the female beside him. "You speak Drej?"
Kiken smiled proudly. "Like yourself, I'm fluent in several languages."
"Drej is one language I don't know."
Kiken stood up. "I'd be happy to teach you . . . for a price."
Preed stood as well, chuckling. "Ah, a girl after my own heart. Would you like to discuss the price over a drink?"
"I'd love to."
****************************((Flashforward))****************************
Kiken smiled fondly at the memories. "After that, we got to know each other a little and started working as a team. Though, we didn't really open up to each other untill the day he lost his ear."
Cale cleared his throat. "Yes, well, as facinating as this all is, I think me 'n Akima should get going."
"Akima? Kiken?" asked a voice.
Akima looked behind her to see an older man with greyish-black hair and bright blue eyes. "Janon!"
Cale gave the man a suspicious look. "You know this guy?"
"He was a friend of Korso's," Akima explained. "although I don't know how he knows Kiken. He is the captain of his own ship."
Janon nodded in greeting. "So, what are you all doing out here?"
"We're out of fuel," Akima shot Cale a annoyed look.
Kiken shrgged. "I'm visiting old friends."
"Well, while you're waiting, do you want to come aboard my ship? She's the biggest one from New Earth."
"Planet Bob," Cale corrected.
Kiken laughed. "I'd love to see your ship, Janon."
The group exited the bar and made their way to the immense ship docked nearby.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Janon said as he led them into the ship. "We picked up an extra crewmember in sickbay. I think you might want to see him."
"Is it someone we know?" Cale asked.
"You could say that."
Captain Janon paused infront of two large grey doors and motioned for them to follow him through. All eyes focused on the only occupant of the large sickbay.
Kiken's hands flew to her mouth in surprise. "It . . . it can't be!"