Page 8

Chapter Five

LACIE

I was gazing out the small window next to my seat when I heard everyone gasp at the same time. Suddenly , a huge, multicolored planet appears out of nowhere, surrounded by little dark specks.

KyT , one of the Commander’s sons, informed us of an old pirate base in this area, and that information prompted me to take a closer look.

When I was assigned this task, I tried to find something that could be easily defended and still a good distance away from the main shipping lanes, ensuring no direct contact with other species.

This is one of two locations I found acceptable, but I prefer this moon to the other planet simply due to its atmospheric consistency.

The other planet is more radical, and I can see a much harder existence if it was your only choice.

Earth was considered a primitive world because of its lack of space travel, but that will no longer be the case.

Thus , the laws that were established to protect your world and others like it will no longer serve as a safeguard for your race.

Unfortunately , and unknown to you, many species view owning a human female as a luxury, and we must take all precautions to keep you safe. ”

SCOUT’s words echo through my thoughts, and I wonder exactly where the Commander’s mate came from if she was here before us, and just how many more of us are out there somewhere else. I raise my hand like a kid in school, and the Commander nods his head.

“ Sir , you said something to me earlier about your mate Kira . Is she the only one of us you found, or are there more humans around?”

“ My mate, as well as several others have been here for quite some time. However , that is a tale for another rising as it is time for us to split up. Half of you will head down with me and the other half will go with SCOUT . These dropships are slightly crowded, but you will get used to them, as these will become your primary transportation from the ship to planeside until your permanent dwellings are installed. Please follow me, and I will get you settled while SCOUT puts the ship in orbit.”

Each row stands up, and the small hall fills quickly.

Briar once again has a death grip on my wrist, ensuring she doesn’t get separated from me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Eric trying to push his way toward us, so I squeeze closer to the older couple I’d seen earlier.

She must’ve noticed me looking uneasy and motions for me and Briar to stand in front of her and her husband.

I whisper, “ Thank you,” just as the Commander starts signaling for us to move closer.

“ James and Ricky , gather the females around you and head to your right. I will be with you momentarily. The rest of you will be headed down with SCOUT , in the ship to your left. We will all meet up together back on the surface shortly.”

The older woman gently places her hand on my shoulder, signaling Briar and me to come with them. We all take seats against the walls. “ Hi , I’m Lacie and this is Briar .”

“ I’m Carla and this is my husband, James . Young man, I didn’t catch your name earlier?”

“ Ricky , ma’am.”

I can tell Carla’s just about to ask me something when the Commander’s huge frame seems to take up all the extra space that had been available.

“ Listen up, this will be your group the entire time we are on the surface, and this is your assigned drop ship. Do not separate from each other; the planet has been scanned, but that does not show us everything. James , Ricky can either of you use a weapon?”

Both men nod yes, but James is the first to answer. “ I was a hunter for years, Commander .”

Then he looks over at Ricky , “ Son , what about you?”

“ Commander , I was in the armed forces before I became a guard for the Scientific Center . If it shoots, I can wield it.”

“ Excellent , you are both going to get a crash weapons course.”

Him not asking any of us girls rubs me the wrong way, and even though I don’t really want the responsibility that comes with a weapon, I’ll not sit back quietly in this new world simply because I’m a girl.

“ Excuse me, Commander , but is there a reason you’re only arming the guys?

I’ve hunted with my Papaw all my life. I know my way around a firearm. ”

Briar speaks up next, “ And I was in the middle of taking self-defense classes when our world fell apart, so I can handle a weapon as well. You just show me what end is going to hurt the worst, and I’ll point it at the bad guy.”

“ Forgive me ladies, for not asking you as well. It is in my nature to protect all females, and that is a hard habit to break, even when I know firsthand how capable you are of taking care of yourselves. Mistress Carla , would you like to be armed as well?”

“ Nope , I have all of you to keep me safe.”

The smile he gives her, I swear it sucks all the air out of the room, and I apparently stop breathing because Briar elbows me in the ribs, and it makes me cough. “ Stop acting like a schoolgirl in love with her teacher.”

“ Did you see that? How could anyone resist? I think I might’ve had an out-of-body experience.

” Luckily , I don’t think DaR noticed me nearly crumbling into a bundle of nerves while he rummaged through a drawer.

I glance over at Carla and catch her biting her lip, while she’s trying hard not to laugh after evidently hearing me.

I shrug my shoulders, prompting Carla to smile at me and making me giggle.

When the Commander turns back around, a holographic image appears in the center of the room.

“ We will begin our descent shortly, so in the meantime, I want all of you to observe so you can familiarize yourselves with this phaser. After we land, each of you will receive a weapon, which will be temporarily programmed for you and will not function for anyone else. You will collect it on your way out and then return it when we board once again. Upon our return to ANDI , I will have each of you go through a simulator to assess your handling of this and other weapons. Following that, and if successful, you will be assigned a permanent weapon. Do not worry if the ride gets a bit bumpy on the way down.”

The moment those words leave his mouth, I feel my stomach tie up in knots. I grasp onto the armrest and close my eyes, as I absolutely hate the feeling of falling. It only lasts a second or so, but when I finally open my eyes, I see Briar bent over, gasping for breath.

Carla appears to bounce back quicker than either of us, and I see her immediately begin soothing Briar by softly rubbing her back. The Commander remains by the door, utterly unfazed, which makes me realize that everything is likely fine; there’s no reason for me to be concerned if he’s not.

Suddenly , a sizzling noise sounds and I swear I feel the floor beneath my feet heating up.

I lift my legs, and Briar wraps her arms around her head, which she has tucked between her knees.

Just as I start to ask what’s happening, I feel the shuttle tremble, and then it’s as if someone simply set us down, and everything comes to a complete halt.

“ We have landed safely, and the air on E -311 is breathable. However , the gravity is slightly heavier than you are used to and therefore, you may tire much quicker. Remember , stay together no matter what.”

He reaches for a handle I hadn’t noticed when we got in, and a seal on the door hisses right before it opens.

Even from my seat, I can see the technicolor’s in front of us.

We are over the rainbow, for sure. I get up from my seat and walk hesitantly to the doorway.

The Commander and Ricky are both standing next to the dropship’s ramp, scanning the area.

When I start to step out, the Commander puts a hand back, stopping me.

“ Lacie , hold there a moment. Let Ricky and I do a perimeter walk, then you can come out once we make sure there is nothing in the area. James , watch over the females until we return.” I’m so intrigued by the sights in front of me, that this time I am happy to let James be the one concerned about us.

“ Yes , Commander .” James steps up in front of all of us, holding the phaser confidently in his hand. Carla , Briar , and I all stand behind him in the doorway, looking out at the unfamiliar, but beautiful landscape. A few minutes pass before they come back.

“ You can come out now, as there is nothing in the immediate area. The one predator we know of that flourishes here is a Suet , and they will likely be more scared of you than you are of them.”

We all walk out, and I never thought I’d be so happy to stand on solid ground again or that I had taken things like this for granted until it was suddenly no longer an option.

No one says anything at first because all of us are simply stunned by the sight before us.

Standing with my hands on my hips, I lean back, looking up at the massive …

what I’m assuming are trees. I’d visited the Redwood Forest with Papaw when I was little, and these things in front of me make those look small.

Their canopy tops must be as high as some skyscrapers back home.

When they said the aesthetics were different from Earth , they weren’t lying.

The sky has displayed several colors so far and seems to be changing constantly.

The ground beneath my feet is covered in tall, knee-high blue and tan grass.

The structures I believe are trees, appear to be burnt orange in color; their leaves a mix of bright pinks and purples.

The light breeze flowing around us carries a faint floral scent.

If I had to guess, I’d say the temperature is somewhere in the seventies, which is shocking considering there are two suns in the distant sky.

But the highlight in the sky above is the massive planet taking up most of the view.