Chapter 7

"Hi Sweetheart!" came a voice from behind her. Princess whirled around, ready to strike at the goon when she realized that it was Jason.

"Stop doing that!" she snapped. "It freaks me out every time I see you in that mask."

"But that's the fun of doing it!" replied Jason smugly. He dropped down on the couch. "There aren't too many kicks wearing this uniform so I've got to take what I can get!"

"Just remember, I outrank you." grinned Princess mischievously. "I have an Officer's status and you're just a sergeant."

"Thank goodness!" Jason exclaimed. "If I had any higher rank I'd be an officer too and then I'd have to wear one of those really goofy outfits! At least this way I can blend in somewhat."

"Speaking of blending in, I have another training session to attend." said Princess. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Sure thing, Honey." said Jason. "I'll keep your bed warm for you." He winked at her.

Princess rolled her eyes as she waved goodbye to him. Jason's sense of humor was really beginning to get on her nerves.

She saw another Galaxy Girl trainee down the hallway. She ran to catch up with her.

"Hi Xati!" she said. "Off to the Training Facility? That's where I'm headed."

"Yes. Me too." Xati replied. She glanced back at Princess' apartment door as they waited for the elevator. "Your brother sure is cute." she murmured.

Great. It looked as if Jason's tendency to attract Spectran women hadn't diminished for living on the planet.

Distracted by this uncomfortable thought, Princess asked, "How did you know he was my brother?"

"Well they wouldn't allow you to live together if you weren't." replied Xati.

"What are you talking about?" asked Princess curiously.

"I keep forgetting that you're not Spectran!" Xati exclaimed. "You really don't know, do you?"

Princess shook her head.

"There is a scarcity of women on Spectra." Xati explained. "Decades ago our atmosphere was polluted and radiation from a nearby sun caused genetic mutations in our people." She shook her head sadly. "Only one in twenty births are female babies. And not all of them are capable of carrying a pregnancy to term."

Princess digested this bit of information.

"The population of Spectra is decreasing each year." Xati continued, "Most women are put on a breeding schedule. Only a select few are excused from these duties."

"Like Galaxy Girls?" Princess deduced.

"Yes." confirmed Xati. "It's one of the reasons I joined up actually. I'm not ready to be a mother yet." She hung her head at this confession. "I hope you don't think badly of me Princess."

"No, not at all." Princess said reassuringly. "In fact I know what you mean. I've always put my career before thoughts of a family as well. I know I want children someday, but not anytime in the near future. It's too dangerous what with this war and all."

Xati sighed. "Hopefully it will be over soon." she said wistfully. "Zoltar will conquer the Earth for us and we'll have a new place to live and grow and restore our people to their rightful status."

Princess sighed too. It seemed that the reasons for Spectra's constant invasions of Earth weren't as black and white as she had always thought. Still, it didn't mean that she was going to roll over and hand her home planet over to Zoltar.

"Military women are quite rare since generally females are not considered to be expendable." Xati went back to their original conversation. "In fact, the only reason men are expendable is because of the cloning process."

Princess' eyes widened in surprise.

"You didn't know that either?" Xati asked. "You really have been kept in the dark! The average Spectran soldier is cloned from the same one hundred male patterns."

'So that's why it always feels like we are fighting the same soldiers!' thought Princess.

"Naturally birthed men do join the army of course," continued Xati, "Men like that brother of yours…" she sighed dreamily, "but unfortunately they're almost never allowed to participate in the breeding program. Of course maybe they'd make an exception for Jason… I might even be convinced to breed if he were my partner."

Princess found it hard to keep her dinner down. There was no way in hell she was going to pass that bit of information on to the egotistical Condor.

"I thought Galaxy Girls weren't in the breeding program?" asked Princess.

"Not officially, no." replied Xati. "But there are always exceptions. Girls can request to participate. And of course Zoltar is a rule unto himself." Xati shuddered.

"Zoltar?" Princess felt a cold chill creeping up her spine.

"Stay away from him Princess!" warned Xati. "There's a reason Mala is in charge of the Galaxy Girls. Zoltar is one of the breeding program's most eager participants and… he isn't gentle. He can breed with any female he wants. Any of us. And we can't refuse. He's a great leader and all, but I've seen the condition of some of the Galaxy Girls who come back from his bed…" her voice trailed off.

She swallowed slowly. "It's against the law to kill a female for any reason." continued Xati, "but the way some of these girls look…. they might as well be dead. He's vicious with them."

"Don't ever catch his eye Princess!" she warned again.

Princess nodded. It certainly sounded like sage advice.

They had arrived at the Training Facility. Having mastered general mecha navigational techniques Princess was now being coached in the specific mecha she was to operate. She went off to the appropriate simulator while Xati headed to her specific assignment.

Princess didn't know what it was Xati was doing behind closed doors. They weren't supposed to talk about their assignments with other personnel. But she did know that Xati's training was close to being completed. She just wished she could find out what it was before the Federation was attacked unprepared.