Found: BBW Alien Lottery Romance (Warriors of Karal Book 2) (8 page)

“That was wonderful,” she said as she lay in his arms, both of them completely sated.

“Yes. It was,” he agreed, rolling over to lie on his back. He needed to put some distance between them or a barrier up so he didn’t feed off her thoughts and her feelings.

“Where amongst the stars are we going?” she asked.

He looked up, searching through the tiny pinpricks of light. “There,” he pointed.

“What is the constellation called?” she asked.

“Constellation?” he asked.

“Yes. See, the stars over there are grouped like a shovel. Can you see it?” she pointed to the star and then made an outline.

“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard,” he said.

She laughed. “On Earth the stars are arranged into constellations with stories behind them. Don’t you do that?”

“No. A star is a star. A planet is a planet. We do not need stories. As I said before, they are simply lumps of rock or big gas giants. They are not alive, and they do not need fairy tales to make them alive.”

She sat up, looking down on him. “I’m sorry. I thought it would be fun to make some up so we can show them to our child.”

He rolled over, and then stood up, going around to gather their clothes even though it was dark. He passed her clothes to her, hating to watch her cover her voluptuous body, but needing a barrier of clothing between them to ward off the deep feelings he had for her.

“You will not fill our child’s head with such nonsense.” He thrust his arms into his shirt and pulled it over his head. “We do not live in the same world you left. And you will obey me in this.”

“You aren’t allowed to tell your children stories?” she asked incredulously.

“We tell them stores, but stories based in truth. It is far better to tell a child a story of how the
floveris
fly, than to invent something and give confusion.”

“I see. Didn’t your father tell you stories of make-believe?” she asked.

“No,” he replied but then hesitated. Was that a lie? Didn’t he recall sitting on the beach with the ocean in front of them and his father telling him about a man who lived in the ocean? A man who protected the small fish from the big fish so they didn’t all get eaten. He had told Rikka that the warriors were the same as that old man, that their job was to protect the smallest of people from the big giants of the solar system.

His father had been right in his story. There were things out in the universe that were bigger even than the Karal, and certainly bigger than the humans. Was it not the Karal’s job to take care of these smaller people?

Yet that was not what his training as a warrior had led him to. No, instead they were always told that they were to do everything for the Karal alone. Any technology that they might need was theirs to take, if it meant their species grew stronger.

At no point were they taught to be altruistic, and so the Hier Council’s ruling about helping humans made less sense to him. Had the whole of the Karalian race experienced this shift since the first human had walked amongst them? Or at least those who had females?

Did the coming of the females from Earth symbolise a small avalanche of pebbles, which would turn into a landslide capable of washing away all that the Karal had stood for?

It was late morning by the time all the equipment had been stowed on the cruiser and they were ready to depart. For the most part, Gaia had stood in the sidelines and watched, feeling useless. As she went over Rikka’s words from yesterday, she realised this was probably how she was going to feel for most of the trip. If she couldn’t use any of the controls, what exactly was her role on this mission?

To lie in his bed and let him make love to her whenever he wanted
. That was her suspicion: she was here to breed with, to be a distraction from the day-to-day boredom of life aboard a space cruiser.

“Are you excited?” Okil said. He had turned up at the breeding house about an hour ago and had taken Rikka aside to talk to. She hadn’t been able to hear what was being said, and for a while wondered if the mission was about to be cancelled; the discussion had become heated at times. From a Karalian point of view, anyway.

There had been no raised voices, but both of them had trouble controlling their colours. Bright flashes intermingled with muted clouds of blue. She closed her eyes and recalled the touch of him last night. The way his skin seemed to vibrate as she ran her fingers over his flesh, the way he moved inside of her, so patient and so tender.

Then, afterwards, they had lain in each other’s arms. Before she had said something to upset him. She still couldn’t put her finger on it, but she was sure it was to do with his upbringing. Once on board the space cruiser, he might open up to her, talk about his childhood. There would be enough hours in the day to fill, of that she was sure.

“Excited?” she said, in answer to Okil’s question. “I’m not sure.”

“Rikka is a good man,” Okil said. “He is a brave warrior; he will look after you.”

“That’s not what worries me.” Gaia decided to be frank with Okil. She had nothing to lose. Unless he made her stay behind, which was doubtful so late in preparations.

“Then what does worry you, Gaia? I know this has all been placed on your shoulders suddenly.”

“It’s not that. It’s knowing that you are a pawn in someone else’s game. A game you have no knowledge of, not just the rules, but the aim. What is at stake here, Okil? Rikka hasn’t really said anything, but hints here and there, tell me this is bigger than me. Bigger than you.”

“It is. And I wish I could be honest with you, Gaia. I have a part to play, as have you. My part is often hard; I have to be forceful when I would rather be nice.”

She smiled at him. “I never expected a Karalian to ever admit to wanting to be nice.”

“It is what I would be. Treat you with more respect, tell you everything. But if I am seen as weak, my place in all of this will be diminished.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Rikka has told you about the chances of us being able to produce our own females once more?”

“Yes. He mentioned the possibility. But not the details,” she said, hoping this was not news to Okil. The last thing she needed was to get Rikka into trouble. An angry Karalian, that would not make for a pleasant journey into deep space.

“Once Elissa has her child we will know if she is viable. From there Darl will perfect a procedure which all females from Earth will be encouraged to undergo.”

“So that they have a girl?” Gaia asked.

“One girl, one boy. That is our hope. We can maintain our population, and never have to travel out into deep space on a fruitless mission for females,” Okil said, sounding thankful, yet sad.

“And you won’t need humans.” She saw it now. Okil loved humans, but if they could trigger the birth of females of their own, the people of Earth would be obsolete in their usefulness.

“No,” he confirmed. “But until the first generation of girls reach maturity, which in our species is not until they are hundred years old, then we will not know if they are fertile.”

“Wait … you are one hundred years old?” she asked incredulously. He didn’t look a day over twenty-five.

“Yes. We age slowly until we reach our prime, and then we have children and the aging process speeds up. I will age at the same rate as you now my prime is upon me.”

“I see.”

“But once the first girl is born, many of my people will want us to wait, and not support humans in their quest for survival. This is why the missions are being sent out in such a quick rotation. If we had more time, we would wait for each one to return, take their data into account and then send out the next mission.”

“Does that mean you have no contact with any of the missions once they are launched?” Gaia asked.

“Occasionally beacons will send back data the cruisers transmit. It depends on where a ship is in relation to the beacons and whether other wormholes are open.” He hesitated, and then went on quickly. “Our concern is that we should have had some contact with the first mission. It left five days ago, but there seems to be a disturbance.”

“And we are going to check it out?”

“No, the Council will not allow that. It has been decided that the missions should continue as they were scheduled. In the meantime we will monitor all systems.”

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.

“Because the cruiser is not programmed to allow you to operate it.”

“I know.” Why would that matter to Okil, she wondered.

He looked around furtively, and green glowed along his cheekbones. “I have asked Rikka to override the controls. Once you have travelled a safe distance, he is to override the system. That way if anything happens to him, you will be able to take control of the ship.”

She took a step back, as if he had hit her in the solar plexus. “And he doesn’t want to?”

“No. At least he feels it is dangerous. Plus, if he does, he may be grounded on his return.”

“You mean it will ruin his career?” she asked, concerned.

“Possibly. It is forbidden for our technology to be passed to other species. Particularly humans.”

“Why?” she asked, but he didn’t answer. As she thought about the situation, it became clearer. “You don’t trust us. This is why Earth doesn’t know about these missions. It’s not because the President is keeping the news to himself, it’s because he doesn’t know they have begun. So he can’t somehow rig the lottery and send a woman who might take control of your technology. Is that it?”

“I cannot confirm that, Gaia,” Okil said.

“No. It’s OK. I understand. Most people on Earth don’t trust a man who manages to maintain his health at the expense of his people. His nice green lawn, his food always fresh…” She didn’t go on, most humans felt a bitter resentment toward him. Only the arrival of the Karal had propped up his leadership. They had given the people of Earth hope, and the President had milked it for all he was worth, making himself out to be the saviour of the human race. Gaia believed he was capable of anything.

“But when we discover a new planet. What then?” she asked. Gaia would hate for the President to gain control of a planet like Karal.

“You are looking at the new governor.” He smiled broadly. “And don’t think it’s because I am in favour with the Hierarchy. I am being exiled to the new planet. Tikki, my partner, and I will be in charge.”

She placed her hand on his arm, feeling a surge of pride emanating from him. “I think that is a good idea. Thank you for explaining how things lie. And how much is resting on this mission.”

“But above all, Gaia. You must come home. No matter what happens, how badly damaged you might be, it is imperative that this mission returns. Because for every one that fails, the chances of us holding the Council together in their support of humans wanes.”

“I understand.” Yes. She understood it all now. And as her eyes locked with Rikka’s, she wondered if he was for her, or against her, now.

“Ready to launch,” he said. He waited, listening for permission to leave Karal.

“Permission to launch,” came back the voice from the tower.

He throttled forward, feeling the engines building up power, and then he released the cruiser, feeling it crouch like a cat about to pounce before it shot off into the air. Next to him, a pale-looking Gaia gripped the arms of her seat as she tried to withstand the g force.

“It didn’t seem so bad when we left Earth,” she said.

“We have a lot more equipment and supplies. The ship is heavier so we need the increased build-up.”

“Right,” she said and then clamped her mouth shut.

He kept his hand on the control stick and his eyes on the instruments. The Karal left their planet many times, but it didn’t mean that any trip wasn’t without its dangers. The atmosphere was still a layer of gas, which would love to rip the cruiser apart. They were a foreign body in the protective layer around the planet, and it would burn them up if he got it wrong.

The cruiser trembled, and then they were flung through the other side and out into the nothingness of space. He let out a pent-up breath. This was it; they were on their way. Going on a mission he wasn’t sure he believed in.

The Karal, particularly the warriors, were very insular. All that mattered was their species and it’s survival. It was how they had been brought up to be. In some ways, it could be blamed on their lack of females. It had given them both a lack of compassion, and an underlying need for their species to survive at all costs.

If they were not hardened, how could they go to another planet and round up females? Rip them away from everything they knew and take them to Karal? There to breed with as they saw fit.

He glanced at Gaia. Rikka could not even begin to think how terrible it would be to have to mate with a woman who was tied down, legs spread apart so they could be raped by an alien. That was what had happened more than once in their past. That was what had happened to his mother.

“Are you OK?” she asked.

He smiled, the colours rushing into his face, scared that she had read his thoughts, happy that she showed him concern, when it should be him asking
her
if she was OK. This was second nature to him. Going off into space was what he had done all of his adult life. Yet this was only the second time she had been off solid ground.

“Yes. We travel out towards the far star,” he pointed into the distance. The star was a couple of hours away. “And then we enter a wormhole. We have to deploy the beacons to open it.”

“Wow. You can control the beacons from the cruiser?” she asked.

“Yes. Well, only enough to open them and keep them open if we need to.” He checked the readings on the control panel. “They are like living beings, all of them behave differently. Some open and close so regularly it is as if they are breathing. Some open so rarely we cannot use them with any degree of safety.”

“You mean we could get trapped in one if it closed on us?”

“Yes. Although we could escape, but we would be stuck in the middle of nowhere.”