Kronos
I strode onto the bridge where my siblings shared a joint command shift.
“Ready room, Kronos,” Thalassa commanded, striding out of the Captain’s chair with her straight-necked command gait. The doors closed behind us and I smiled. My sister didn’t return my affections. Thalassa had never been particularly forthcoming with emotions.
<<You seem tense, sister.>>
<<I am tense. You’ve brought an alien on board and you plan to bring her to the home world without any warning.>>
<<It wasn’t my intention to upset you.>>
<<Our borders may be open, but our culture isn’t. I just don’t want you to get hurt. Or her for that matter.>>
<<You don’t resent her?>>
<<Why should I?>>
<<You took the vaccine along with the other females, against fertility.>>
<<Because I refused the burden of fertility doesn’t mean this poor soul should want the same.>>
<<Very well.>>
<<You didn’t come all the way to the bridge to discuss my womb.>>
Thalassa was still a bit agitated, but she hid her reasons why from me well.
“I came to find out how far we are from the Prince.”
“We’re close.”
“Something’s wrong.”
“Verbal communication is far too clumsy,” she complained, ignoring my question again.
“Thalassa, I outrank you. So answer me.”
“Fine. We’ve run into a problem with the Taureans.”
“Our allies?”
“Some of them are. But when the senate split in two, a small portion formed the Taurean confederacy. Since you’ve been gone, they’ve been attacking smaller ships and coordinating guerrilla attacks on larger vessels.”
“Have you spotted any on sensors?”
“Unfortunately, yes. We’re expected to clash with them in the next twelve hours.”
“Were you planning on telling me?”
“Our orders were not to keep you informed, but to smother this attack quickly.”
“I still outrank you, Thalassa.”
“You do, but the Prince considers you a person of honor for your mission. We’ve transmitted all your data to him and he’s impressed with the detail.”
“The mission was a failure,” I admitted, the admission hurting me more than I expected.
“There was nothing about it that was a failure. You’ve influenced politics already. The Prince is even having a meeting with the Emperor.”
“The emperor and his wife haven’t come out of meditation in over a hundred years.”
“I know. And now, because of you, Devor ushers in a new age.”
<<You seem jealous, sister.>>
<<Not very. But how can either of us ever live up to what you’ve accomplished, Kronos?>>
<<Do not try.>>
Thalassa rolled her eyes.
“Try to relax. Make preparations with the home world. If there’s a conflict with the confederacy, we’ll handle it.”
“I’d relax more if I could be at the helm,” I responded.
“Sorry, Prince’s command, my brother.”
I grunted in response and then left my sister. Morpheus sought her permission to exit the bridge. As children, Thalassa and I suffered greater comparison than myself and Morpheus. He was never as quick as I was, but he made up for it with his impressive height — two inches taller than me — and his prowess for brute force in battle.
He’d kept his battle scars from fights with the ice bears. Large claw marks covered both of his shoulders. He wore his hair shaggy and waist length with braids across the front of his head, pinning most of the hair out of his face. His nose had fewer ridges than Thalassa and I. And his skin was different, a lighter blue like the royal family.
Morpheus took me from the bridge to the ship’s mess hall. This was a new model, more comfortable than any ship designed for a smaller crew. The ship’s complement was over 400, as much as a small school. Most of the soldiers recognized who I was and met me with excited yellow stares and bowed heads.
<<You’re a hero, brother.>>
<<I don’t feel like one.>>
<<Ay, but the human female thinks of you as a hero, doesn’t she?>>
<<Yes. I suppose.>>
<<I know Thalassa is reluctant to worry you with the details of our mission.>>
<<I want these troubles. I am on this mission to serve my country, not to be treated like a snowflake.>>
We entered the mess hall and found a corner table. Kronos poured a thin syrupy liqueur into a glass for me. Thankfully it was weak.
I was rarely enticed by the warmth that liqueurs offer. My brother bought me a plate of seaweed and squid rolled with oceanic rice and steeped in a flavored brine. I’d yearned for a change in scenery before landing on earth but now I was grateful for seafood and brine.
“Come on, let’s eat.”
I sat across from Morpheus. We bowed our heads over the food once before diving in. I’d gone far too long without a taste of home and savored every bite of what I had. I waited patiently for my brother to speak.
“There’s a Taurean intelligence agent who has breached the confederacy and brings word of their plans.”
“Aside from attacking this ship?”
“They’d never go head to head with a vessel like ours for the long term,” Morpheus assured me, “They intend only to weaken us and I’m afraid they might succeed.”
I nodded, urging him to continue with his explanation.
Morpheus inhaled another helping of squid and continued.
“The confederacy intends to breach first contact with earth before the alliance. Their plan is unleash hell on earth, make sure the human home world is theirs. They believe the alliance’s interest in earth is to extract its resources and they want to be the first to do it.”
I scowled.
“This is not how Devorans think, neither Polluxians.”
“Exactly,” Morpheus said, “Our species were engaged in wars, colonization, and conflict. We understand its futility well. Most of the Taureans understand it.”
“Their reptilian instincts have dulled their capacity for reason,” I grumbled.
“Now, now, brother. Don’t become an essentialist.”
“You’re right,” I apologized, “It’s wrong to think that way. If they’re heading towards earth, why don’t we stop them?”
“That’s what the Prince wishes to meet with you about. He’s going to awaken the emperor and usher in a new age of Devoran existence. We will contact the planet and assist in an age of awakening. The alliance will be strong.”
“How can you be so sure? These confederates must have reason to believe they’ll succeed in a campaign against us. It can’t be pure delusion.”
Morpheus grit his teeth and I sensed he would bear even more unfortunate news by the time we’d finished our food.
“They’ve allied with some of the Arietan clans.”
“Not Ramses?”
“No. Thank goodness. The Ogneb family is still on our side.”
“Good. Most of the clans are far too weak, disorganized, more interested in slave trade than anything.”
“That’s the problem. The confederates have promised them a supply of human slaves. The planet has over seven billion. There’s more than enough for them to choose from.”
“The Prince won’t let this happen,” I said, reassuring myself as much as anything.
“You’re right, he won’t. But he’ll need good men at his side. Good men who are willing to fight.”
“Are we getting to the part that Thalassa didn’t wish to tell me about?”
Morpheus nodded.
“Rumor has it the Prince will promote you to general, you’d get a boost in rank but you’d be right at the front lines.”
“I’ve only just mated.”
“Exactly. If that human woman is with child, it will be safer for her to be close to you. The changes documented in interspecies mating require close medical observation. She will have to grow accustomed to the telepathic connection.”
“I understand.”
“Now do you see why Thalassa wished to keep this away from you?”
Unfortunately, I did. There was much to worry about. If my Prince called on me to serve Devor, I would, without any hesitation. Yet, I couldn’t leave Jessica. I refused to leave her. I’d promised her that I wouldn’t.
We finished eating together. I returned to my quarters to find Jessica sleeping, bundled in the bed like a tiny seaweed wrap. I climbed into bed next to her but she didn’t awaken. She shifted her hips back and nuzzled into the crook of my body. Human beings. We’d first become aware of them after the Prince took his wife from earth, in accordance with the prophecy laid forth by our people.
When this human woman, the first to arrive on Devor, interlinked with our temple, she sent a shockwave through our society. Over two years had passed since that happened. We’d considered the problem of this species since then, and since then, we’d come to view them almost like small children. They needed guidance in their awareness of alien life.
If war were to come to their planet, they’d be powerless. I couldn’t allow this to happen to Jessica, or her people. I stroked her head and despite much trouble, I did eventually fall asleep. She woke me in the middle of the night by shaking my arm.
“Kronos,” she hissed, “Kronos!”
“Yes, what is it my dear?” I mumbled.
“Your dreams. They woke me.”
“My dreams? How did you know they were mine?”
“There was a boy. I think it was you as a boy. He was speaking to me in a language that I didn’t understand. I could see his face.”
I chuckled, running my hands through her long black hair.
“The dream wasn’t mine, sweetling.”
“I’ve never seen a blue-skinned child. He’s one of your people.”
“No. He’s one of ours.”
“Ours… Do you mean that…”
“You may be pregnant.”
“How?” She gasped.
“I warned you of the risks.”
“Yes, but I mean… look at you… look at me!”
“I know. I can explain the dream to you if you’d prefer.”
“I’d prefer if I didn’t have dreams like that.”
“Yes, that would be easier, wouldn’t it.”
“If I’m pregnant, why would I have a dream about a boy?”
“Children appear to mothers in their dreams before they’re born. It’s a chance for you to get to know your child and to forge the telepathic bond.”
“Like what we’ve done?”
“Deeper. More intense. Your child may be half-human and perhaps it will be apparent to my people, but Devoran genetics are dominant, including the genes for telepathy.”
“You said I was only a partial telepath.”
“That’s true, however during pregnancy, your abilities will become heightened as you form a symbiotic relationship with the fetus.”
She flopped onto her back, resting her palms against her tummy.
“I never wanted kids.”
“Never?”
“Not before you.”
Mating had affected her too. The illogical response to Devoran pheromones defied every social convention on her planet.
I relaxed and she sensed my release in tension.
“I just don’t know how I expected any of this to happen. Not like this.”
I didn’t want to give her the bad news right then. She was trepidatious, but excited.
“Did you find out about your family today?” I asked.
“Yes. You were gone for a long time and I worked up the courage to call someone. They showed me my hometown and what’s happened there.”
“You’re upset,” I whispered, pulling her tiny frame close to my torso.
“Yes. I am.”
“What’s happened?”
“My roommates are dead.”
“What?”
“There was a fire… a horrible fire… they’re all dead. Henrik and Taylor too…”
Jessica sobbed, leaning into my chest. I held her close allowing myself to feel her sadness, which was complicated by feelings of relief. Relief and deep concern that her safety too would be compromise.
“What of your mother?”
“She and my father made up. It was all bogus. She was never going to leave him.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I know now that I’m in the right place. There’s no reason to go back there. I don’t want to go back.”
“Someone will come looking for you.”
“Maybe some day. But when they will, I’ll be far, far away.”
I kissed the top of her forehead.
<<I wish there was something I could do to take all this hurt away.>>
“There is,” she whispered as she kissed me. Her lips were so soft, so warm. She was mine. My tiny, tender, sweetling. She’d already suffered so much pain. I hardly wanted to be the person to usher in more. I pushed her hair out of her face and complied with her desire to be kissed properly.
She ran her hands through my hair and pulled me closer.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered, “Please, don’t stop, Kronos.”
“I won’t.”
“What I’m feeling goes beyond reason. The way I want you right now… it’s dangerous.”
“No, not dangerous, exhilarating,” I whispered, inhaling the scent of her hair, so earthy and human, without a trace of ice and cold.
