Page 5 of Married to the All Hallows' Eve Alien

I must focus on finishing this mission. I hit my comms. “Any sign of stragglers?” I ask of my men on the lookout for Octopods. Octopods have fantastic armor and can move faster than any other species in the galaxy. They’re also experts at staying hidden and have deflectors our sensors can’t always pick up on, even the good ones from the Dulu. If I’m ever killed on one of these missions, it’ll most likely be by an Octopod.

“None,” my officer replies.

“Good. Most of the humans are almost off the ship. Once they’re away, we’ll do a proper sweep to be sure,” I reply.

As most of the humans are on Ash’s ship now, I tell two of my men, “Find the Dulu who own this ship and begin processing them.”

When I’m satisfied that we’ve found all the humans and this area is secure, I take the woman in my arms toward Ash’s ship with the other humans.

Then she speaks. She sounds like the goddess herself is speaking to me. I’m in awe as she begs me to keep her with me. How can I deny this angel? I know Commander Fox won’t like this, but she’s affecting my body and soul in such a way I can’t deny her.

I continue holding her in my arms and finish the rest of my work. Then I open comms to the Ge, “Ash, I’m going to take this human woman with me. You’re ready to go.”

Ash is silent, allowing me to change my mind. When I don’t, he asks, “You’re going to keep that human woman with you?”

He shouldn’t be questioning me, not publicly. In private, we’re friends, and I’ll tell him everything. “You heard me correctly, push off. Sem out.”

I check the sensors on my armor. Ash has done as I commanded, and the ship is returning to the base. Content I walk towards my ship, and two of my officers are there guarding its entrance. Two more are still behind me on the Dulu ship. “Prepare the emergency medical bed,” I say to one. Once erected, I place the small human woman on it and strap her in. She looks so small in the medical bed meant for Alliance men. I take her hand. It feels right to do this. Then I look her in her eyes and say as calmly as I can, but I am conscious these might be the last words I speak to her, “You must stay here so we can finish our job. I swear to the goddesses, I’ll not be far from you, and you will survive this. Don’t give up, and don’t fall asleep.”

“I promise. Just one thing.”

I nod.

“What’s your name?”

“Sem.”

“Sem,” she says, my name testing it out, and again I feel like this is fate. I want to stay by her side until we reach the base, but already I’m being called back.

“I have to go now. Stay awake.” I reluctantly let go of her hand and drag my eyes away from her anxious expression, only to meet the shocked faces of my officers who watched the exchange. I know they want answers and suspect I either know her from before or it’s fate, which is a gift from the goddesses. At the moment, I don’t have the time or inclination to indulge their curiosities. They’ll understand when I marry this woman.

* * *

“They’re firing again; prepare for impact,” my officer informs me. I hold on to my chair as tremors rip through our ship. Our trip back to the Alliance Force Base hasn’t been as straightforward as I thought. We have been waylaid by an Octopod ship. It first attacked the Ge, but we were able to catch up with Ash and prove a worthy distraction for the Ge to get away.

We’ve taken substantial damages. Our weapons are running low. However, the Octopod ship is in worse shape. “Once you’ve got a clear shot, fire sparingly,” I say, and then to my helmsman, “Continue.” Our ship has superior maneuverability, and we are using that until we get a clear shot and hopefully dodge most of their shots.

“Incoming.”

The ship shakes again. I check my computer. We can only take about two or three more hits before we are dead in the water. “Hold position until we get a clear shot,” I tell my bridge officers confidently. This is the closest I’ve ever been to death since I became a commander.

“Fire,” I say unnecessarily as soon as we have a clear shot at the Octopod ship. My officer had simultaneously fired. That second between us firing and whether or not we hit their ship seems to last an eternity.

“Direct hit,” my officer confirms.

“Sensors? What’s their status?” I have nothing on my personal computer.

“Working on it. Their engines are damaged, no jump drive.”

“Good work. Hail them.” When a channel opens, “Octopod ship, this is the Alliance Force Des, prepare to be taken by the GC for attempting to kidnap human citizens.”

“You have no proof.”

“We can let the GC authorities decide when they arrive,” I say. I don’t want to waste my time talking to Octopods. I close the transmission.

“Sem, another GC patrol is eight days away.”

I nod. It’s not uncommon that we have to wait. The GC doesn’t consider this area of the galaxy a priority as only humans and Proxima Centurions, but with the human woman onboard, I have a reason to be impatient.

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