Page 8 of Tamed By the Alien Outlaw

I silence the blaring, yet the strobes still bathe the small engine room in a hard blue. "It's the alert just before all auxiliary systems shut down. We need to find those fuel sources now."

We search the engine room, looking for the precious fuel tiles. The urgency of our situation keeps us focused, even as the sexual tension between us lingers in the air. We tear through storage compartments and dismantle panels in our desperate search.

Sweat beads on my forehead with my racing thoughts of what to do if none are to be found. It's too late to hail one of my fellow Mavericks for help. The comms went out when I shut down main power, and sending tomu waves through the vacuum of space requires a great deal of power. Power we don't have left in the rillium chip to pull off, not without rapidly depleting it. What good is a call out if we have no life support? We'll suffocate and freeze to death before help arrives.

Then I remember giving Cora an emergency beacon. The circular disc she used to contact me when she and Navik were taken aboard the Wetokian Battle Cruiser.

"The signal works both ways," I mumble and start shoving my hands in my many pants pockets. I purposely kept the disc on me in case Navik and Cora needed me. With Cora carrying the first Kaul-human hybrid, no one was sure of the delivery date as human gestation is longer than that of Kaul babies.

My fingers brush what I seek. Not wasting another second, I pull the beacon free and twist the two halves in opposite directions. The flashing white light offers a small measure of comfort. Navik and Cora are safely ensconced at Navik's secret sanctuary, wherever that is. I pray it's close by. Being the closest to Navik of any of the other Mavericks, even I don't know what planet he resides.

Star Mavericks are loners by nature. As wanted outlaws, we're constantly on the run from galactic authorities, so it's safer for us to remain solitary. In case one of us is found, not all of us will be caught.

I just hope Navik and Cora answer my plea for help before it's too late.

My heart sinks as the gravity of our situation bears down on me. Without power, we're adrift in the vast emptiness of space, vulnerable to any threats that may come our way.

"So what now?" Tasha's expectant gaze slays me, knowing there's nothing more I can do.

I curse under my breath and put on a brave face. "I've signaled to one of my fellow Mavericks for assistance. In the meantime, we need to funnel all remaining power to a single crew quarter."

TASHA

"This isn't just an elaborate ploy to get me into bed, is it?" I peer down at Qhix holding back the blankets for me to join him.

"I wish it were." If the strained expression on Qhix's otherwise teasing face isn't convincing enough, him bundled up in several pair of socks, pants, and shirts is.

Qhix's words hang heavy in the air, and I can sense the weight of concern behind them. Clearly, this is no time for the game of seduction he promised. We are faced with a dire predicament, trapped in the abyss of space with limited resources and dwindling fuel levels.

"Come on." Qhix lifts his chin at me.

I waddle closer and climb into bed beside him. "I feel like a little kid on a snow day."

"What does any of that even mean?" Qhix pulls the covers over our heads, tucking the edges around us, sealing us in like meat inside a burrito.

"You know, in the wintertime, when it snows out and your mom bundles you up so tight, you can barely move?" I turn to my side, facing him.

"My translator says snow is frozen precipitation."

"Yep. Snow is what we call it on Earth." I grin at him. "It's cold and wet, but it's also beautiful. Everything gets covered in a blanket of white, and you can build things with it."

"Build things? Like what?" Qhix eyes glimmer with curiosity.

"Well," I tug at the multiple necklines of my dress and two shirts I'm bundled in, my body flushing with heat. "You can build snowmen or igloos. And more talented people than me even build these huge sculptures out of snow called ice castles. It's pretty amazing."

Qhix's laughter rumbles through my bones, leaving me giddy. "How fascinating. Klaxis doesn't get cold enough for snow."

"Really? So you've never been sledding as a kid or had a snowball fight?"

"Never."

"Well, you're missing out on the fun." I pull at my suffocating mound of clothes. "I know we can't go back to Earth because of this Universeval Rule crap, but surely there's another planet in the Universe where it snows."

"Plenty, though I don't like the cold. However, I would endure it for you if it means we can build an ice castle together or fight with balls of snow."

I chuckle at his playful comment, feeling a warmth spread through me that has nothing to do with the layers of clothing I'm buried under. "I'll hold you to that, Qhix. After we get out of this mess, you can fly me to a planet with snow, and I'll show you how to build a snowman."

Qhix smiles warmly, his eyes twinkling with tenderness and mischief. "I look forward to it, my pet."

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