Page 39 of Stripped By the Alien

“A Royal Mate, yes,” I tell her. “The greatest honor anyone could have, mating with the Queen and being raised almost to the level of the Queen herself.”

“But still a Royal Mate must obey the Queen in all things?”

“Of course. Everyone must and everyone wants to.”

“Even when she orders the destruction of an innocent world?”

I tap the Brood mark on my hand. “We all know our duty. It would never cross anyone’s mind to not obey, least of all about a Harvest. We all enjoy harvesting a great deal.”

“But what if a Chief Harrower refuses?” Nora asks.

It’s another question that’s completely surreal, and my mind can’t cope with it. Nora not only looks alien, she has an absolutely alien way of thinking. If it can even be called thinking.

Her eyes are deep and dark, and her hair makes her look extremely exotic. It must be a rare feature on any species. It’s not exactly fur, but it does resemble it. Her little nose must not draw in enough air to be effective, and her white little fangs would barely bite through the skin of a greps. Her face changes when she thinks, her eyebrows are almost offensively expressive.

But her bravery gives me pause. She doesn’t cower, she doesn’t plead. She speaks to me like an equal. A female from a prey species! It’s remarkable.

To my astonishment she steps closer to me, holding up the stiff casing around her with one hand. “I think a truly strong Chief Harrower could refuse. I think he could say ‘no’ to his Queen. I think he could look her in the eye and say, ‘you’re wrong’. And… I think the Queen would agree.”

With her other hand, she reaches out and touches my arm. Another small lightning bolt cracks between us.

I go completely still, my mind paralyzed by both the absurdity of her words and the unprecedented boldness of her actions.

Suddenly she fills all my senses. Her sweet scent, the sound of her breathing, the moistness of her exotically full lips. I find myself slowly bending down, as if I want to place my face closer to hers, to study her even more closely, to maybe even make contact with those lips…

“Chief Harrower!” a voice comes timidly from behind me.

I whirl around, enraged. “What?!”

It’s the signals chief, standing in an open membrane, bent almost double from respect as he holds out the message tablet. “Sir, we have received a new reply to our query!”

I march over, snatch it out of his hands and kick him out of the room. The opening shuts.

“Beast,” I say to the ceiling, “you are to notify me before you let anyone into my presence in my own chamber!”

The room goes darker for a heartbeat, then brightens again - the Beast’s feeble attempt at a half-apology. I know she did it on purpose, hating Nora with a passion.

I tap the tablet to my antenna and read the message.

Great Chief Harrower Krix’vorr! May this message find you fed and feared.

I have made further enquiries concerning your previous query. It was the Brood of the pitiful and lowly Queen Crak-difz which found the wreckage I mentioned. The enemy Harrower in question is currently locked in battle with the ship of our own moderately respected Harrower Dri’puxz, and so prevented from returning to his queen and her Nest. Shall I intervene, Chief Harrower? I may assist Dri’puxz and force the Crak-difz Harrower to give up the secrets.

All glory to Queen Szum-zic!

Harrower Buc’Xsit.

“Signals chief!” I roar when I finish reading.

The Beast opens a membrane and after a few heartbeats the signals chief dives in and stays on the ground. “Chief Harrower! How may I obey?”

“Signal Harrower Buc’xsit!” I command. “He is not to intervene, but he is to immediately transmit to me the location of the space battle that Harrower Dri’puxz is involved in! Go!”

The underling crawls out and the membrane closes.

I look out at the stars. The Brood of Queen Crak-difz may have found another ship like Nora’s. And possibly another creature like her. If so, I must either destroy that creature or take it for myself. The latter would be better. Two of them would be much stronger evidence than just one.

Nora looks up at me, standing exactly where I left her.