Chapter 7
A little bedroom action and more awaits. Let's dig right in.
###
Ettwanae pulled herself close and pushed Warren back gently on the lounger. It was late. Flint and Gatebi had long ago retired to their rooms. Lighting was subdued in the gathering room, enhancing the womb-like feel. While the Eshaar'ne continued their journey, half of her occupants slept. The other half could not.
"Ettwanae, we shouldn't do this," he said quietly, the mutual heat building already between their bodies. "We'll only be hurt."
"Shhh," she soothed, combing fingers through his hair. "I just want to hold you, touch you. We won't go beyond that." She drew an index finger down his ear and along the jaw, then to his mouth and traced his lips. Need and lust were rising quickly, but she shoved them down with force.
He squirmed. "But…"
"If we can't be together completely, I'll take incompletely," and she kissed the finely-carved nose and smiled. "We can do this, we are strong enough. Let's enjoy each other, my soulbound, as much as we're allowed."
One of his wings draped off the edge of the lounger, the other was pinned between their bodies and Volu's soft bulkhead, feathers spread across the wall. She kissed its trailing edge; then deposited another kiss closer to the arch, then another at that joint. His body quivered beneath her and eyes squeezed shut. Arousal wasn't about to be denied and Warren's body responded to the delicate titillations quickly.
"You are so beautiful, my love. So wonderful," she breathed into the soft feathers of the underside of the appendage.
Her lips on his wing, her breath through the delicate feathers – he moaned as want grabbed him fiercely. Warren was already hardening and his groin ached. "I'm not sure I can…do this, Ettwanae."
"I understand if you need to leave. Until then, I want your hands on me, everywhere. I need to feel you." Ettwanae kissed eyelids, nose, cheek, but not the lips. Those would wait. She massaged up the muscular arms, across the smooth and defined chest, down ribs, sliding her hands beneath to that special point. When she found it, his body arched into hers. He was immediately firm and shivers raced from wing base to tip. Strong but trembling hands clamped down on her upper arms.
"Oh, god! Ettwanae…I-" He bit his lip.
She backed off, pulling hands out and back to the chest. Pushing his shirt up, she brushed her lips across the firm pectoral muscles, tongue twirling around a nipple, before gently nipping one. Another quake of his body rewarded her. Lifting her head, she looked at his face. The eyes were open again, pupils wide with desire and their crystalline-blue had deepened. She briefly wondered if hers looked the same. "Wythsearra myrlu, 'ne Ura-mai."
"What does that mean?" Warren's voice was heady.
"It means 'I love you, my soulbound,' in my people's language. Volu taught me a little."
"Wi seara…"
"Wyth-sear-ra myr-lu…I love you," she helped.
He cupped her cheek in his palm. "Wythsearra myrlu."
" 'ne Ura-mai."
" 'ne Ura-mai." He smiled up at her. "Wythsearra myrlu, 'ne Ura-mai. Did I get it right?"
"Yes, perfectly." She planted soft kiss on his lips. "I will teach you more, if you wish," Ettwanae whispered, her mouth not leaving his; the feathery touches of moving lips sending tingles to his toes.
"I'd like that."
He took her mouth in a deep kiss, their tongues dancing a lover's waltz. Desire engulfed, setting bodies afire. Hands and mouths roamed…stroking, kissing, squeezing, and nipping – searching for something to give them the release they were denied. Movements became desperate, the drive for sexual completion nearly unstoppable. Moans of shared need escaped in unison as her groin ground against his erection. Then pain started deep inside; a pain impossible to put into words.
Sexual need and ache rushed headlong into each other. Warren couldn't hold back any longer, and he nearly cried out as the physical anguish became too much. Pushing her away, he jumped off the lounger and darted out the room, to Ettwanae's quarters where he released. Shaky and sweating, he sank to the floor. Tears formed and filled his eyes. How could they go on like this? Twisted cruelty!
She padded up behind and knelt down, but didn't touch him. "I'm sorry. I needed you. I should not have insisted; it's too painful for you."
Warren wiped a hand across his eyes, but didn't look at her. "No, it was wonderful while it lasted. Maybe in time, I can last longer…get use to it." He turned and met her eyes that were also brimmed with tears. "I don't want to give up. I can deal with this part if you can."
Ettwanae nodded. She'd deal with anything if it meant their bodies could be close. "Then we keep pushing the limits, right?" He smiled and her heart melted, sending warmth from her chest to her toes.
"Right. Push the limits. We'll beat it one way or the other." Warren studied the determined face. "Wythsearra myrlu, 'ne Ura-mai."
"Wythsearra myrlu," she echoed.
"Forever."
"For always."
They embraced, holding tight, as he stroked her hair. She nearly gave in to the tears. 'No,' she told herself firmly. 'He needs you to be strong.'
She pushed back gently. "The day I met you, will be always be the best day of my life. I will go to the ends of the universe and back again, do whatever is required, sacrifice whatever is demanded of me to be with you. Eshaaru love is strong, Warren. I am strong. I can be strong enough for both of us if you need me to be. Never doubt my love or my determination. We are soulbounds. We will not be denied forever. I vow this to you."
Her passion and resolve swelled his heart with admiration and love. She was whom he'd waited for his entire life. His perfect match. The alien from another world, a pillar of strength encased in a delicate frame; Ettwanae completed him. He gathered his own inner strength – the same strength that was the only reason he had survived the early times with Ztar. With Ettwanae, it would not be his strength alone in the fight to overcome circumstance. He had someone fighting by his side.
He took her hands and locked his eyes on hers. "The day I met you is the best day of my life. You are all I need or want. If I have to fight heaven and hell for us to be truly together, that is what I will do. That is my promise to you."
She leaned forward and rested her forehead on his. "That is all I need to know."
They sat for many moments before he rose and pulled her up. "Then let's go to bed and we'll simply hold on tightly. We'll push the limits and keep pushing until the pain is beaten back."
That night, slept was elusive as need and desire clawed their insides, but they held onto each other, refusing to be separated by forces beyond their control.
###
"I don't understand why it'd be better to stop at Ita than waitin' til we get to the Commonwealth." Flint protested, feeling like the only one who thought dealing with crooks, murders, rapists, and cons was a stupid idea. "You sure 'bout this place, Vo? Thought you couldn't dig up anything 'bout hangouts in The Barrens."
They were all sitting around mid-morning in the lounge enjoying a couple of the favorite snacks – dried fruit and zante. Gatebi was in her usual spot, Flint sprawled prone on the lounger, and Warren and Ettwanae took separate seats. It was obvious even to Flint that Aru was pestering – the UST almost made the air vibrate.
"I could not from standard sources, but then I expanded my probing to less traditional records and was more successful."
"Let me guess, after we entered the Barrens, you hacked another ship's databanks."
"You guessed correctly, Warren. The ship was old and their shielding and security weak. Breaking through to their data files was a simple task." The Eshaar'ne sounded rather bored with the whole affair of breaching inferior security measures. Then again, she was a master of breaking and entering, thereby 'weak' was relative.
Flint popped a treat in his mouth, wishing it were odent berries. Would Ita have some? He rather doubted it. "I'm still not convinced. After Ayni, I'm thinkin' we'd be better waiting – it's like we're askin' for trouble." Flint actually surprised himself with the cautious attitude…gung-ho was more his style. He did a mental jerk. Was he growing up?
Volu had done her homework before leaving imperial space, augmented with what she'd learned from a Barrens ship, and had shared some interesting information minutes earlier. Ita lay roughly half way between the Turzent Empire and The Systems Commonwealth, making it perfectly positioned as a base of operation. Unsavory types of all kinds called the Barrens home, where the only laws were strength and cunning. If you could take it, it was yours. But beware your victim for you may not live to enjoy your booty should it be someone more powerful or devious. Thus, while there were but two laws, everyone had the same goal – survival. It was into that environment that Volu and company had plunged.
"Would you rather eat monle?" Warren questioned after swallowing his last bite of the last zante in their supply chest. 'Tragic moment,' he lamented silently.
"Ah, no," Flint quickly clarified. "Sorry, Vo, but-" Flint jerked as the Eshaar'ne shot him with a quick reminder of her displeasure at the nickname. He scowled at her visual port. "As I was sayin'…that stuff you call food is like eatin' plain oatmeal mixed with Elmer's glue. No thanks!"
"Monle will sustain Warren and Ettwanae indefinitely, and you and Gatebi for quite some time. I do not understand why everyone is so averse-"
"Have you tasted that shit?!"
"Monle is a highly nutritional, fully life-sustaining meal."
Warren threw up his hands. "People, let's just drop it." He wasn't in the mood for bantering. Nerves and patience were thin from Aru naggings. "Everyone agrees that we need to stop for supplies. Monle is available should something prevent us from doing that. Right now, we still have options for where to restock."
Dead silence and tension filled the gathering room. Flint glanced nervously at Ettwanae – she still hadn't said a word. Was she building to another blow?
Gatebi nodded. "Since monle is off the list, then I agree that resupplying at Ita is the better choice. Likely, they accept Turzent credits, just as they likely accept the Commonwealth's form of payment. However, once we are within Commonwealth space, we no longer have valid currency, meaning supplies obtained there will be via theft."
"There is more to consider," the Eshaar'ne broke in. "While I am thoroughly familiar with Turzent AIs and systems, Commonwealth technology is foreign to me. I have confidence in my abilities, but I am not foolproof. A straightforward purchase from a Barrens outpost may be a safer choice than stealing from a Commonwealth purveyor."
Flint sat up in surprise. "Wait a minute, Vo-lu. You sayin' in all the years ya been around, you haven't left Turzent space?"
"She may have, but her memory of it is gone," Ettwanae finally piped up; her tone chastising. She'd been unusually quiet all day, keeping mostly to herself. Everyone assumed she was having a 'bad molt day,' and it was best to leave her be. Appearances reinforced the conclusion – wings were scruffy and she looked tired and irritable. "The decision is made, Flint. If you don't like it…"
The teen put up hands in surrender. "No, no! I got weird feelings 'bout this, but probably nothin'…just nerves after Ayni." With that, he dropped it. He would not be the one to rile the touchy Eshaaru.
"Decision made, then," Warren declared. "We've got another day to kill before we get to Ita, right?"
"That is correct. I will continue to obtain data from whatever sources present themselves."
Warren nodded. "Good. I want to go in there knowing everything we can."
"And what about the Dark Ones? The bastard that attacked us at Ayni?"
"They should be unable to follow us, Flint."
"They followed up to Ayni!" he huffed.
"I do not believe they followed us. More reasonable is that their ship at Neu was informed Ettwanae and Warren saw the galaxy depiction in their citadel and would head to Atmos Prime. They may have simply positioned agents at supply houses along the most reasonable routes."
A frown crossed the boyish features. "I dunno…seems like a stretch. All I can say is we better be watchin' for tails. That guy who attacked us was creepsville!" Memories of the oily voice and black eyes sent shivers down his spine. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ita was bad news.
###
Many light years away, another individual struggled with vague feelings of foreboding. Of all his mental talents, precognition was Ztar's least favorite. In the few times the ability surfaced, it frustrated him. Nothing concrete, nothing specific – always vague and undirected. Sadly, it had always been right – something dire was going to happen.
'Nearly useless, except to create anxiety!' he fumed.
Jharda gave him an inquisitive look from across their dinner. "You are not with me tonight. What is troubling you?" She set her utensil down, giving him her full attention.
He didn't wish to worry her, but he didn't wish to be deceptive either. "I'm uncertain. Stress may be playing with my mental state. I find I worry too much these past weeks."
She smiled and extended her hand. He took it. "About me, the baby, Archangel, the Empire?" Then she laughed affectionately. "Or all of the above?"
Squeezing her hand firmly, he gazed into the dark and beautiful eyes of the woman he'd always loved, but hadn't always known it. "My steadfast Jharda, with you by my side, worries scatter like cowardly Dregnards."
"I recognize sidestepping when I hear it, my husband to be. I'll give a pass this one time," she replied with a cock of her head and a patronizing grin. "But next time, you will share what troubles you with that steadfast woman." Then dark eyes twinkled with mischief. "Tonight, though, we'll apply diversionary tactics instead to ease worries."
He had spoken truth – Jharda could always make him forget his troubles.
###
Late the third day of the Barrens crossing, Volu approached Ita. The small, mostly semi-arid planet boasted a single, large settlement with three small storehouses scattered about. No central supply house existed, but Ita wasn't a stopping point for an endless parade of interstellar vessels.
"Our choices will be limited," Volu explained as everyone gathered in the galley for an evening snack and to plan the supply run.
"Basic rations?" Flint didn't look enthusiastic.
"Scans reveal a variety more diverse than that, but your odent berries will not be on the menu." Volu sounded almost pleased with Flint's disappointment…in a humorous way. Flint grumbled.
Warren was plotting logistics. "What about ground transport? We need a way to get the goods from the depot to you."
"I am discovering that anything can be purchased here if you have sufficient credits and/or the time to wait for procurement."
"Odent berries?" Flint suddenly brightened.
Gatebi shook her head. "We have the credits, but not the time. Your addiction will go unsatisfied."
Warren winced with Flint, feeling the kid's pain. Zante addictions may go unmet, as well.
Volu quickly brought them back on track. "As I expected, the little shielding and security I have encountered is not a challenge, with few exceptions."
Warren smirked wryly. "It's like the Wild West here, I would venture. Security is likely the simple kind. Guns and fear are an effective security system."
Flint leaned forward with a determined face. "Then you and me should go. If anyone tries somethin', we can handle it."
Warren drummed fingers once. "Flint, I actually agree with you on that. You've progressed in your training and your mutant ability would be effective in this circumstance, if need be." At Flint's instant excitement, Warren gestured a 'whoa' sign. "Only as a last resort and only on my orders. I'm in charge down there."
Flint straightened in his chair and the chest puffed out. "Ya got it, War!"
"We should get our supplies and leave as quickly as possible," Ettwanae suggested, with a subtle ruffle of feathers. Everyone nodded agreement.
"Here's the plan." Warren went on to outline how he hoped things would go down. At that moment, though, it was late night at the settlement and the depots were closed. "Volu, let us know as soon as the best depot opens and then take us down. I want to get in and out before the place gets busy."
"Yes, Warren."
Gatebi and Flint helped clean up and promptly left the galley. Warren and Ettwanae looked at each other. Aru was quiet and Ettwanae's disposition even-keeled for the moment. Perhaps they could spend a little time together.
Warren pulled a couple of juices out of cold storage and held one out. She took it with a smile…there had been fewer of those lately. Her molt was in full swing and so were her moods; usually leaning heavily to the hostile side.
Feeling daring, he posed a question. "Maybe we could talk a while before bedtime?"
Her face looked both hopeful and worried. "About something in particular?"
Realizing with a start how the request may have come across, he quickly gave her a reassuring gaze. "Sorry, didn't mean that I was concerned about anything. Nope, this would be me wanting to spend time with you." He finished with a loving smile. The Eshaaru beamed. His heart melted.
"I'd like that!"
And so they headed to the lower deck that had become Warren's man cave and talked of childhood memories, past friends, youthful dreams, and adult challenges while sipping a fruity juice. As they spoke, he watched her face, gestures, how her expression changed with the subject. He wanted to learn all her nuances and unspoken signals. But with one particular old memory, the pouty lips threatened to stir Aru longings. Warren kept it in check, but decided he should pull back from his studies.
Without knowing exactly when it happened, she ended up next to him on the crate/chair, head on his shoulder, her body encircled with his arm and wing. When Warren realized, he was both surprised and filled with peace.
Yes, she was meant to be at his side. She was what his heart had been waiting for without him knowing…why all the others hadn't worked out…why something unnamable had been missing in his relationships. 'Until now. Until an alien woman came along to step-by-step steal my heart.' However, hows and whys really did not matter – only one thing truly did.
He was quiet long enough that Ettwanae stopped talking and pushed back questioningly. "Is something wrong?"
Closing his eyes, he shook his head slowly. Reopening them, he looked to hers. "No, nothing at all. Just a few things about my past becoming clear." Placing a kiss on her forehead, he drew her close in a hug. "I love you, Ettwanae, to the depths of my soul." As he voiced the words, peace and rightness resonated deep. Although he'd said he loved her before, everything jelled at a level he hadn't known existed. It was new. Exciting. Frightening. Deeply profound and eternal.
"And I you, my soulbound," she whispered as her wings wrapped around them. "Forever."
"For always."
'You really found it, Worthington.' A tear of joy, awe, and gratitude slid down his face, and he held her tight. 'Finally…'
###
Volu watched Warren, as she did constantly since the incidents. Bio readings told her two things – Warren was happy, and his feral side and nannites were dormant. Perhaps love would keep the latter two at bay. If the man was content, then stress would be lessened and risk of repeat incidents reduced. A reasonable hypothesis, but they had no solid cause for the nannite's brief awakening.
On another point, Volu found herself trusting the supposed Human more each day, despite earlier resolve not to do so. Just as her distrust of the Emperor was lessening. Thus far, the Turzent had done nothing overtly threatening. She recalled the man's plea – what had he done wrong?
The Eshaar'ne considered both points. At what juncture should she adjust her opinion from negative to positive? One makes a choice on trust – either you decide to distrust until someone proves worthy, or you choose to trust until proven wrong.
Volu felt the time might be approaching for a new stance.
###
Volu hovered above the purple-hazed Ita. An unusual blend of atmospheric elements and the light spectrum of Ita's sun produced the affect. The air was breathable by most species Volu was familiar with in the Turzent Empire, but its slightly lower oxygen content would make rigorous activity taxing for the unaccustomed. She would warn of that before landing.
Scans revealed which neighborhood supply house offered the greatest variety of food stuffs. The shopping trip would in no way fill her storage bay – the depot simply did not have enough stocks to provide for that while leaving enough for the locals. It would, though, provide enough to see her own inhabitants through for a while.
One last thorough scan before she headed down…
She jerked. What was that? Her extended senses brushed against…something. Pushing harder, she swept the suspect area off her distant left. There it was again – a small, dead spot; a strange lack of anything. Space was not devoid of matter. Interplanetary space always contained a variety of detectable particles, gases, cosmic rays, and dozens of organic molecules. There simply should not be nothing. She compared against known spatial phenomenon. No match. Perhaps a new form of anomaly?
Wait! Another? Moving her direction?
Powering up her weapons energy, she tried to phase deeper, but Ita's gravitational well prevented full immersion.
/ Ettwanae! Possible trouble – I'm leaving! /
Before her Other could form a response, a streak of purple blackness shot from a forming black object to hit her broadside. Much of the strike was deflected by shields, but some penetrated and struck her integument. Pain rippled through her, but it was tolerable.
Quickly summoning weapons energies, she lashed out, but when it struck, it simply disappeared. 'Ozshi'wanae, no!' she cried out silently.
Firing again resulted in the same outcome. Weapons neutered, escape was the only viable option, but she needed to move further away from Ita and free herself from the gravity keeping her from full phase. Bolting forward at sublight, she could not avoid the wave of distortion that suddenly appeared directly ahead of her. As she plunged into the unknown field, her connection to the secondary dimension was harshly severed, and her partially phased form snapped back to the primary dimension with gut-wrenching results.
The Eshaar'ne screamed.
Struggling through the haze of pain and momentary disorientation, she saw more ships shimmer into visibility. Three surrounded her – spiky masses as black as deepest, starless void. Same as Neu. Dark Ones! One against three.
Fully exposed in normal space and weapons useless, she shot upward in desperation only to be hit simultaneously by three weapons beams. Her shields shuddered with the triple impact and slashes of pain crisscrossed her integument as more black energy drilled its way through. What manner of energy did the ships use? No memory data matched the scan readings. She modulated shield frequency, praying for a miracle.
Her next move was backward toward the planet. Perhaps escape there? She let loose with her own powerful weapons as she plunged down, hoping more to distract than cause damage. The enemy was prepared for the maneuver and another triple assault found its target. Agony gripped Volu as weakening shields allowed more mysterious energy to penetrate.
Suddenly, all seemed oddly familiar – déjà vu. The next moments played out in sickening slow motion. One black mass moved with incredible speed to block her path toward the planet, forcing her to dodge sideways to avoid collision. Another distortion bubble enveloped her as she attempted to phase despite Ita's gravity. Every direction she attempted was either cut-off or another round of punishing weapons strikes staggered her.
Ettwanae was screaming at her mentally and audibly, but she had no time to spare for her panicking Other. She needed to focus fully on escape. Ettwanae must live – she must protect her precious Poda.
Then, synapses long ago darkened by ru'zha and trauma flashed to life and memories ignited in an isolated portion of her multi-faceted brain. Images and old emotions swamped…black ships, attacked, desperation, paralyzing fear, pain, horror.
"No-o-o-o!"
Purple-black energy blasts came in rapid succession, punctuating remembered strikes. Shields were crumbling. She gasped and shuddered. Past and present merged. Old pain and new, physical and otherwise, collided. Overwhelmed, she struggled to clear the confusion and hold on to rationale thinking. They would kill her and all within. Just like before. Volu knew. She remembered. The scar on her belly. The point of penetration that took the life of her first Other's soulbound. Black ships that left her to die from either her injuries or from the torment of knowing she had let them murder him.
/ Ettwanae, to my center now! /
/ Volu, please – what is happening?! /
/ Just do it, my Poda! Go as deep into my interior as you can! /
Volu would die before allowing them to kill Ettwanae, but logic screamed that any actions were only a delay tactics. She was outnumbered, outgunned, and could not run or hide. They would all die at Ita. Flint's misgivings were prophetic.
###
"She is under attack!" Bae yelled at Den-neer. Sensors clearly showed three ships surrounding the Eshaar'ne, all firing at the wounded and nearly immobile Volu.
"Weapons on line, Bae – everything we have," he commanded urgently. If he allowed the Esha'Aru pair to die, then the universe may very well be doomed.
Bae's offensive systems, both natural and augmented jumped to life. She surged with power from two sources, the inter-dimensional energy pool and Shozen advanced weaponry.
"They will not take another Eshaar'ne or Esha'Aru life today, Den-neer. This will be the only time you will ever hear me give thanks for what your creators did to me!" Fire and vengeance filled the living ship's voice.
Bae's fury augmented her power. Tapping deep into the infinite reserves through the dimensional portal, she surged forward, glowing with rapidly building energy as she streaked through the blackness of phased space as fast as she was capable.
She prayed to Ozshi'wanae it was fast enough.
###
I know, a cliffhanger. Can't help myself. Won't keep you waiting too long for the outcome – promise.
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