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“Goodbye?” I croaked. “We’re really in space?”
“We are.”
“And… you’re an alien?” I felt silly even voicing that question. This wasn’t a film or a book, this was reality. Stuff like this didn’t happen. Normal people didn’t meet aliens.
“I am,” he confirmed. “In a way, we’re both aliens to one another. But since we’re still in orbit of your planet, I suppose I’m more of an alien than you are.”
“But you don’t look like an alien. You look human.”
“That’s because I’m wearing a C-shield,” he said, patting his wristwatch. “It tricks your eyes into seeing me as one of your own kind. Do you want me to turn it off?”
I nodded.
Without taking his eyes off me, he pressed his watch. The air around him shimmered and sparkled, before he turned purple.
Bruin was bright purple. His physical shape barely changed, he got even more muscular around the chest and arms, and his skull lengthened slightly. Way more noticeable was that his hair had disappeared. He was now completely bald, even his eyebrows were gone. He looked at me with a worried frown, as if he was concerned about what I might think now that I could see him for who he really was. I stared into his eyes, the same dark eyes that had captivated me back at the castle. There was no sign of menace or deceit. He was still the same.
“You’re an alien,” I whispered. “I’ve been abducted by an alien.”
Lesson 5: Research for Renegades
Bruin
I wasn't sure how I'd expected her to react. In my five days on Peritus, I'd noticed a lot of humans had prejudice against those with a different skin colour. Of course, my mate wasn't one of them, but I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been a bit shocked at my change. After a cursory glance over my body, she'd looked me in the eyes, nodded to herself, then stared back at the observatory above us.
"I was kind of expecting several arms, tentacles and horns," she said. Her tense tone betrayed her easy-going words, but I didn't comment on it. She was handling it all remarkably well. I'd not planned to reveal myself this quickly, but there was no way I could refuse her wish. She was my mate. I was made to protect and serve her.
"On my planet, Allopo, there are three intelligent species, all quite similar at first glance but different nonetheless. Fervens have horns and are generally known to be quite aggressive and territorial. Bervens also have horns, but they grow wide rather than tall, and they're physically incapable of lying, making them favoured diplomats across the galaxy. And then there are us Xervens, without horns, but we make up with other features. Increased intelligence, for once. Our brains are bigger. And..."
I decided not to tell her about my dual cocks. I couldn't remember if Peritan males had one or several dicks, so it might not be all that special to Tara.
"And?" she asked.
"We're taller," I said quickly. Not a lie. The difference wasn't big, but in a crowd on Allopo, Xervens usually stood out.
"Wow. Is it normal for there to be three sentient species on the same planet? I guess on Earth we had the Neanderthals, but not anymore..." As her voice trailed off, she suddenly straightened and her curious gaze became a glare. "Don't bother. I don't care. You might think you have the right to abduct me just because you're an alien, but you don't. I demand that you return me to my home."
"Actually, I do have the right-"
That was the wrong thing to say. She screamed and launched herself at me. With no time to wonder where that sudden aggression had suddenly come from, I protectively crossed my arms in front of my face.
But she didn't aim at my face. She aimed at my crotch.
I winced when her fist crashed into my sacred rods. My knees felt weak as pain similar to being gored by a stabhorn ripped through me. I grit my teeth, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of hearing me scream. But Tara had already swirled around and run out of the room. I let her run. There was nowhere for her to go. She wouldn't know how to use the shuttle, nor had she the necessary clearance. She could explore the Xylope to her heart's content, but that was all she could do. There was no way back to the planet.
Perhaps it was better to remove the temptation. I set course for Allopo, letting the autopilot chart the best route. The Xylope was fully automated and had no need for a crew. The bridge was outfitted to accommodate a small team, but that was just for emergencies.
The journey would take twenty-two IG days, which was just over two IG weeks. Days on Allopo were slightly shorter, more like Peritan days, but since I spent most days with intergalactic visitors and colleagues, I was used to calculating in IG units. Something my sire had ingrained in me from the very beginning, back when he'd still hoped I'd follow in his footsteps and work for the IGU.
I pulled up a surveillance feed and asked Andromeda to search for Tara. My mate had made it to the cargo bay, where An'tia was waiting impatiently for her dinner. I hadn't even brushed her after beaming back onto the Xylope. I hoped she'd forgive me. An'tia was as arrogant as stabhorns came and very particular about her beauty routine. A day without at least two brushing sessions was a wasted day for her. I smiled when I realised just how much she'd wrapped me around her hooves already. And now Tara would soon do the same. I'd have two demanding females in my life, yet I didn't mind.
A new transmission was announced by a beep. I wasn't surprised to se my sire's name flick across the screen. The IGU had installed their own satellites around Peritus a few years ago, making real-time communication possible. I was tempted to reject his call, but then I'd just sit here and watch my mate like a stalker. Maybe this was just the distraction I needed.
With a sigh, I took the call and waited until my sire appeared as a hologram in front of me. His stern gaze triggered familiar feelings of inadequacy.
"Have you succeeded in your abduction yet? I have received your preliminary research reports. I'm surprised by their quality."
I wanted to roll my eyes like Peritans did, but I was physically unable to. Of course, he was surprised by my abilities. He'd never taken the time to focus on what I could do, instead always highlighting my many faults and failures.
