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Lifted
They landed on the same island she had been vacationing on and where she had met Elric. But, now, they weren't on the beach side but in the jungle, hidden from view. Elric landed the bioship, slipping in between trees and plant life under it in a strange, non-uniform pattern. They released all of the passengers and made their way back to the road nearby to walk back to the resort.
"That was easier than I ever dreamed it could be," he said.
"I remember you saying that people needed to be shown order. What changed, Elric?"
"Well, I met you. I realized people didn't need to be told what to do, that they should be able to just do it."
"And you just did it, too," she said, looking up to him. He bent his neck to kiss her and they stayed together for a moment before looking into one another’s eyes.
"So, what now?"
"Well, Elric, I think you should try living on Earth for a while. See if Lezarus really need the bioship."
"And if they do?" he asked.
She smiled. "I might just have to be one of the only humans in space."
He laughed. "You might just have to be," he said before kissing her again.
They felt at peace until hearing a blast sounding through the air. It was a small spacecraft and before they could react, it took them both up in a containment shield.
They were brought up into the ship and watched as a few others were brought up too.
"Ah, so I see we've caught the initial aggressors," said the Lezarus man, waiting for them in the craft. They were in the cage they had found themselves in before, but the crew were guarding it and Elric couldn't reach his hand around to open it.
The man talking to them directed their attention to a small screen that showed Elric and Mallory when they had been in the human containment rooms. It showed him as he pressed the button and queued the release of all of the humans. It was good evidence against them.
"There is a reason we all trust one another not to do such a thing," he told them. "To feed our bioship is the reason for the season! It's why we celebrate and how we live! Without the bioship, we are nothing!"
"But the bioship doesn't need humans!" Elric cried out. "It only eats that because it's what we feed it."
"You think there's any other way?" the man asked.
The man turned and left the containment area, but the guards stayed.
"Elric..." Mallory began, but was quieted by the presence of the guards.
Elric looked at her then reached out his hand and held hers. She squeezed it back and dreaded what was to come next.