Fucking hell. My best friend, lost in that jungle, with Crigomar rampaging through it, with a bad attitude and an unwanted Suevan husband.
It’s less than ideal.
“We were taking bets on whether or not she’s killed her husband by now. We did for you, too, but it seems like…” Bex trails off, clearly at a loss for what to say next.
I heave a sigh. “The Suevans are good people.”
“They’re fucking lizard people!” someone shouts, and a few of my crew laugh.
“Draz saved my life,” I tell them. “I fell in love with him, and he loves me. I am honoring the mating ritual, and I’m going to become a warlord of Edrobaz.”
Bex’s eyebrows lift so high I wonder if they’ll take flight. No one says anything, but Michelle purses her lips speculatively.
“What’s the sex like?” Bex asks, a manic gleam in her eyes.
Some of the tension dissipates at the question, though Carmen looks near tears. Tati’s hands are clenched so tight her knuckles are white.
“Listen, team, I am not going to force any of you to remain married. No one will. Draz was disgusted and furious when he realized we hadn’t volunteered for this mission, that we didn’t even know what we were here for. But these are good, honest people, and they won’t force you to do… anything you don’t want to.”
Bex nods, like she’s all too well aware of it. “And now you can translate for us,” she adds.
“I’m working on a solution for that, too,” Carmen says. “Tati and I both are. There’s no real reason why they shouldn’t work, according to the tech scans we’ve made, so we’re just going to keep at it.”
“Okay, that’s good.” My chest heaves. “I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I am that you all made it safe to Edrobaz. But there’s another problem.” My lips are dry, and I lick them, wishing Draz was here to help me explain this.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Bex says, raising an eyebrow. “It’s worse than being sold off to Suevans for tech?”
“The Roth know we’re compatible with them, too. With their species.” Yeah, nothing like ripping off the Band-Aid.
“Oh, fuck,” Michelle says, rubbing her eyes. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“Don’t say that in front of any Suevans once you have your translators working,” I tell her. “Or better yet, just don’t say it at all.” I nod my head.
Bex eyes take on a mischievous gleam.
“How do the Roth know that?” Carmen asks, and her lashes bat like she’s fighting back tears.
“Because there was one here. After us.”
“Earth has to get that tech,” Michelle says.
Nods of agreement meet her assessment.
“It’s already on the way, according to Draz.” I resist wringing my hands in worry. All it would take is one well-placed Roth ship to kill any hope for Earth.
“If it doesn’t get blown up.” Michelle’s mouth twists to the side, like when she’s presented with a particularly tangled problem. “We need these translators to work.”
“I agree,” I tell her. “Getting your translators working is top priority.” I raise my voice making sure everyone can hear me. “Making sure we can communicate with Earth is the next priority. Carmen, Tati, and Bex, you three are my science officers. You’ll need to partner with the Suevans to ensure we can get plans to Earth to engineer their own defense system should the Suevan transport be shot down by Roth ships.”
I take a deep breath, and everyone’s eyes are on me, purpose in their eyes, in the way they stand.
Good.
“We might not have signed up for all the elements of this mission, but we still have our original mission to carry out. We need to work with the Suevans, and we need to ensure Earth has everything they need before the Roth get there.”
“Aye-aye Captain,” they group says as one.
I nod at them, dismissing them from the impromptu meeting.
“Are you going to be staying with us?” Bex asks, coming to stand in front of me. “Or with your alien?”
“His name is Draz, and I’ll be staying with him.” My stomach tightens with delicious anticipation.
“What’s it like? Is it like that book I shared with you?” Her eyebrows wiggle mischievously, and for a second, I wonder what exactly went down between her and her alien husband.
“Er,” I say, trying to figure out what to say.
“Did he touch you with his tail?” she whispers, grinning.
Deep crimson blush heats my chest and cheeks, and I bite my lip at the memory.
“I knew it!” Her fist pumps through the air. “Lucky.”
“Bex,” I say, exasperated.
“Sorry, that was inappropriate, huh? Insubordinate?” She laughs.
“I think we’re past insubordination at this point.” My voice softens. “It was good. He’s a good man.”
Bex clasps her hands to her chest. “Sounds kinky. And romantic.” A wistful sigh tears out of her. “Say, you wouldn’t mind translating for me and Dergoz, would you?”
“I wouldn’t, but I’m not sure either of us are going to have much time to do that.”
“Right. Right, of course not. I’ll work with Tati and Carmen on the translator issue. And the other aliens, too.” She shrugs offhandedly, her easy acceptance only sparking my curiosity more.
I take a deep breath and let some of my officer façade slip. “So there’s been no word of Gen? None at all?”
Bex’s face turns grim, and she gnaws her lower lip, her hands on her hips. “No. Nothing. Though it was the same for you, and then you show up here, safe and sound.” She shrugs. “Well, other than your run-in with toxic snails… is that what you said? Please tell me you didn’t eat a snail.”
I make a choking sound, the mere thought of chomping on one of those things making my stomach turn. “No. I didn’t try to eat one.”
“Phew. There’s hope for you yet, Captain Jacks.” She winks up at me, then frowns again. “You’re worried about Gen?”
“She’s tough,” I say, unwilling to voice the fact that yes, I am very concerned about my best friend and first officer.
“She is. And you know what? She has a Suevan with her. She’ll be okay. I bet he’s super invested in keeping her alive, right?” She wiggles her eyebrows a little, but it lacks her normal verve. Her arms cross, and she hugs them to herself.
“You all right?” I ask, tilting my head.
“Yeah,” she says brightly. “Why wouldn’t I be? I have an unwilling alien husband and a whole new planet, and if I ever return home, I’ll be murdered. What’s not to be happy about?”
Right.
“Unwilling?” I squint at her.
“You know what I mean,” she says, making a shooing gesture with her hand.
I really, really don’t, but I can tell Bex isn’t about to say anything else on the subject.
“What about you?” she asks, furrowing her brow. “Are you okay?”
I shouldn’t answer honestly, not as her commanding officer. But we’re not Federation anymore, not really, and it might just give her some hope.
“I am,” I say. “I really am. I’m worried about Gen and you all, and the Roth, of course, but I’m good. Really good.”
“Good,” she says, sounding abnormally listless. “That’s good.”
“Gen’s probably bossing around her Suevan and being her usual hardcore self. Even a prince won’t be able to handle her.” I say, and smile to myself.
“Wait, wait, wait.” Bex holds up a hand, and Michelle sidles closer, her eyes wide. “Did you say prince? Gen is married to a Suevan prince.” She snorts, covering her face with her hands. “What the fuck?” she yells, the sound muffled by her palms.
“Oh. Yeah.” I shoot Michelle a look, my eyebrows furrowed in consternation.