Page 79 of Uncovered By the Alien Commander
I avert my gaze from the device that burns too bright, too close. My breathing reaches a hysterical rhythm, then in a flash of sudden petrifying agony, roaring pain pierces my consciousness. Much worse than I imagined; a shrieking scream, muffled by the cloth, tears from my lips. Hyanxa drags the device along my skin, creating new rifts of torrent, making me clench my fists and teeter on the edge of madness.
The acrid smell of my own burned flesh fills my nostrils. Overwhelmed by the assault on my senses, every fiber in me screams to stop, to run. But I do not yield. I remain resolute and convicted, just as Xandor wanted, just as I should have always been.
My vision dims, and I feel myself slipping away.
But I did it, I endured!
Chapter 29
Xandor
Char
Tyrxie retreats out ofthe mess hall, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears. My heart aches at the sight, a traitorous regret surging within me for my harsh words and scornful rebuke. Her sweet face, with its petite alien paleness, almost breaks my resolve. The hope in her features when she asked to visit Klendathor stirred my soul. Such a simple request, yet the implications are massive for us both.
Even now my decision stinks worse than fresh borack shit. Or perhaps that’s the bond grating on my nerves and determination like the coarsest whetstone. I can feel the female even now, the anguish I caused her reflected at me in dulled revenge. It’s infuriating that I’m chained like this, like some timid animal that has been broken and tamed.
Yes, I did the right thing, staying true to myself!
I need only remind myself that not long ago, I never even lusted after petite females, especially timid and shy ones.Now look at me!This bond has changed me, twisting my mind, drawing me to someone who is too volatile, too unpredictable.How can this be a genuine connection?
The thought dies, turning sour and wilting under our noble Klendathian traditions. To reject the bond is to reject the Gods. A troubling thought filling me with unease, bringing with it the sense I’m battling against an inevitability as sure as the rising Klendathor sun.
“Why not just mate the female?” Noroth inquires, scratching the back of his head. “Not like you must make her your Mortakin-Kis.”
The tempting idea creates a surge of excitement until I crush it in an instant. Folding my arms, I turn to Noroth, who sits finishing the remnants of his borack steak. The sight of it makes my stomach rumble in hunger and I recall giving all mine to Tyrxie.Why did I give her all of it?
“It’s not that simple,” I reply.
Noroth groans. “It is that simple. The female’s pretty, and she’s keen. What’s the voiding problem?”
I frown towards Noroth. “You heard what I said to Tyrxie. You know my reasons,” I answer, before dragging Logarn’s half-eaten bowl of gray horrible paste towards me.
“Load of shite, the lot of it,” Noroth grimaces and waves a dismissive hand. “You bleat like a confused newborn. Just mate the female. Know who’s? It might wipe the sulk from your face.”
Noroth’s basic logic is admirable in its simplicity, but he lacks critical information. “I’m bonded to her,” I state with a casual tone, frowning at the bowl of slop before me. Its gloopy horror is like the manifestation of my angst, mocking me.
“More reason to bed her!” Noroth throws his thick arms into the air in exasperation. “You’re blessed by the Gods, yet you spit on their gift?”
His words echo my earlier worrying fear, the fear that lacks a solution. I pinch my nose to stifle the nauseating aroma—a tip I’d discovered not long after our arrival on this accursed ship.I pour the disgusting contents of the bowl down my throat, opting for the quicker, sharper torment. My face scrunches, tasting the moldy earth-like flavors despite my best efforts to avoid my taste buds.
“Why does it taste like soil?” I complain, not for the first time, my bitterness obvious.
Noroth scoffs. “You should be cursed to eat a thousand bowls each day for spitting in the eye of the Gods,” he grumbles, folding his arms, contempt etched on his flat, broken face.
I sigh with weary resignation, tired of all this nonsense. “Now who’s the one sulking?” I mock, rising from my chair. “I’ll go check on Kaanus, to make sure we’re not drifting towards a black hole.”
Logarn rises to complete the Klendathian salute, while Noroth only grunts the weakest acknowledgment. I exit the room in haste, surprised and somewhat impressed that I’ve upset almost everyone on the ship without trying.
My arcweave boots thud against the metal gangways as I walk the tight corridors. Every day, this ship feels more like my tomb, closing in, choking the life and spirit from me. My long strides carry me to the bridge in mere moments. I sigh, noticing the spent bottles of alcohol discarded near the captain’s chair that lacks a voiding captain!
Brilliant!We could drift into another Mutalisk, Nebian or Scythian attack without knowing until the moment of impact. Even a venting solar flare could send us off course and into aplanet! I hurry to the controls and confirm we’re still on target—only a few days now, though it feels like a lifetime.
I investigate the navigation system, ensuring there are no obstacles in our path, at least from within range of our scanners. But the nav points are solid. At least Kaanus had managed that before he slinked off to his bed, to drown his sorrows in a never-ending sea of alcohol.Where does he hide it all?
Done with my checks, I jump into the captain’s chair, which bounces and groans in protest. Compelled by boredom and mindless curiosity, I reach for an empty bottle on the floor. Sniffing its contents, an immense burning sensation emanates from my chest. “Gods, this is strong!” I exclaim, studying the bottle.What in the universe is this stuff?Despite lowering the container, the scorching feeling only grows stronger. Dread grips my heart as I realize it’s coming through my bond, coming from Tyrxie.
Without hesitation, I leap from my seat and rush towards Job’s workshop, already knowing the source through the accursed bond.What mess has she gotten herself into this time?My mind races with possibilities, fearing a drunk, desperate Kaanus has sought her out, or a vengeful Hyanxa. A part of me thinks I should stop, to not give in to the bond, but I swat such dishonorable thoughts aside. All concerns melt away before my blazing charge.